


What Comes Next

by StannisIsTheOneTrueKing



Series: What Comes Next [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: All The Hargreeves Need A Hug, Allison Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Ben Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Diego Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Luther Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Number Five | The Boy Needs A Hug, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Season 2, Time Travel Fix-It, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2019-11-08 08:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 47,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17977931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StannisIsTheOneTrueKing/pseuds/StannisIsTheOneTrueKing
Summary: After the Academy headed back in time, what comes next for them? Will they be able to fix Vanya, stop the apocalypse and be a real family and not just a collection of Reginald's victims? Seriously, fuck Reginald Hargreeves.





	1. Back In Time

**Author's Note:**

> 1.) Decided to go the route of 2002 since that would make the most sense for changing the timeline for the better, before Five time travelled and before Ben died. I expect the show will do this as well.
> 
> 2.) Jeez, I can’t believe I thought Albus Dumbledore was fiction’s greatest monster, then I saw the show and met Reginald Hargreeves. He makes Dumbledore’s abuse seem like loving behaviour.
> 
> 3.) A fair few fics say “Klaus has PTSD” or “Five has PTSD” lets face it, all of the Academy have at the very least serious neglect and abandonment issues, and most of them if not all have PTSD or probably will do in season 2. I’ll be trying to cover this in the story, but as I have no personal experience of PTSD or abuse, I must apologise in advance if I misrepresent people with it and must beg forgiveness for any unintentional offense.

There was such noise and chaos. The theatre whirled with the glowing light coming from Vanya as she played her violin in a daze, the roar of gunshots and the bow strumming across the strings drowning out everything else, everything except the frantic calls of the Umbrella Academy to one another as they tried to fight through the destruction to stop the end of the world. Then everything came crashing down around them. Ben, and god how they had missed Ben, was amongst them, killing their assailants with apparent ease as Klaus channeled him, surprising all of them with this ability, Vanya holding off all of them at once with apparent ease, Allison firing the gun and Vanya collapsing, and then of all things, the Moon hurtling towards them, a catalysmic fireball destined to eradicate humanity.

 

‘If this is it, it’s not so bad.’ Five thought to himself as he saw the rocks speeding toward him. ‘Well everything was for nothing but I guess if I had to fail, at least these idiots are with me. I get to die with my family. What a depressing final thought that is.’

“So much for saving the world.” Klaus said.

“If only Sir Reginald could see us right now, huh? The Umbrella Academy. A total failure.” Diego said.

“At least we’re together in the end. As a family.” Luthor said as a brainwave hit Five.

“This doesn’t have to be the end.” Five insisted.

“What are you saying, Five?” Luthor asked.

“I think I have a way out of here, but you have to trust me on this.”

“Nah I don’t think so.” Luthor, Diego and Klaus said as one.

“Well then we might as well accept our fate because in less than a minute we’re all going to be vaporized.” Five told them.

“What’s your idea then?” Diego asked.

“We use my ability to time travel.” Five explained. “This time, I’ll take you with me.”

“You can do that?” Diego asked.

“I don’t know, I’ve never tried it before.” Five said.

“What’s the worst that can happen?” Diego asked the others.

“You’re looking at it. A 58 year old man inside a child’s body, so there’s that.” Five replied with the others looking between everyone else.

Everyone else gave agreement that it couldn’t be worse as well.

“Okay, great, Luther, grab Vanya.”

“Wait, should we be taking her with us? If she’s the cause of the apocalypse, isn’t that like taking the bomb with us?”

“The apocalypse will always happen, and Vanya will always be the cause unless we take her with us and fix her.” Five explained.

‘What part of this doesn’t Luthor already grasp?’ Five fleetingly thought to himself.

Five scrunched his face in concentration as the others looked around at each other, all praying desperately that it’d work, that they’d be anywhere other than where they were at that moment. Electricity began to crackle as the temporal barrier opened up for Five and in a blink, they were gone and the Earth with them.

 

2002

 

A bright flash of light lit up the Icarus Theatre as a group of kids appeared out of nowhere, landing on the stage in a mess. Groaning, the kids began to untangle themselves, giving each other a glance as they did so before freezing.

“We...did it.” Five muttered, in a daze as he saw everyone in their younger bodies. Looking up at the fully intact lunar body of the Moon, seeing that there weren’t flames consuming everything.

“We’re in the past?” Diego asked as he took in his surroundings. All was quiet, it seemed it wasn’t a performance night. Luther and Allison looked at each in worry, Klaus was holding onto Ben for dear life, and Vanya was lying on the floor, peaceful in her slumber.

“It worked!” Klaus said as he hugged Ben, drawing everyone’s attention to the pair, eyes widening as they realised Ben as back amongst them.

“I wasn’t sure it’d work, but I had to try.” Ben admitted as he was engulfed in hugs from the others, never wanting to let him go again.

“I was pretty confident it’d be fine. We were transporting our consciences, so as long as you were within the circle, I assume you were holding onto Klaus? You’d be with us.” Five explained as Ben nodded.

Clearing his throat, Luther got the attention of the others.

“What do we do now? We’ve got to get out of here.”

“We need to go to the Academy. We can’t alter things too much, the Commission will be after us already.” Five told the others. “If we don’t alter too much at once, it’ll be harder for them to track us to here and now, and we can work on sorting out this mess once and for all.”

“What do we do about Vanya?” Klaus asked, lookig down at their comatose sister.

“We get her into her bed. I’m sure she’ll be fine in the morning. When she wakes, maybe let me explain it to her, or get Allison to help keep her calm.”

“Shouldn’t we put her back in the cell in case she does freak out?” Luthor asked.

“Are you intentionally being an idiot?” Diego said before Five could cut in. “That’s part of the reason she destroyed the Academy, because you locked her in there and we didn’t stop you. Put her back in and she’ll certainly go unbalanced again.”

Five couldn’t help but nod at this. Maybe not the exact wording he’d have used, but it was the same point he’d have tried to convey to Luthor. Repeating their father’s mistakes was a recipe for bringing the Apocalypse again, this time only seventeen years earlier.

“What do we do then? How do we help her?” Allison asked.

“We take her home, when she wakes, we give her a pill to stop her hurting herself or anyone else if she takes it badly and we explain it to her. We help her to control her powers, we finally live like an actual family and if dear old dad tries to hurt any of us, we leave, not before I teleport him to a roof and throw him off.” Five explains.

“You’d have to stop me from using The Horror to rip him apart.” Ben frowns as the rest look at each other, and begin to laugh. What else could you do in a situation as messed up as this one?

 

/

 

A flash of light lit up a deserted field as two figures appeared, one of them clutching a large black briefcase in his hands.

“Where are we, Hazel?” Agnes asked as she looked around at where they were.

“2002.” Hazel told her. “Here we can have a fresh start. Years until the Apocalypse, hopefully we can find a way to prevent it as well.”

“How would you do that?” Agnes asked him.

“I’ll think of a way, don’t worry.” Hazel assured her. “For now, let’s look at setting up your own donut shop in the country.” He smiled as Agnes nodded at him.

Hazel already had a plan, of course. He and Cha-Cha were to protect Vanya Hargreeves to ensure the Apocalypse occurred. How best to stop it? Stop Vanya Hargreeves.

 

/

 

“Let’s get her onto the bed.” Ben said as Luthor gently placed Vanya in her bed and stepped back, the rest of the Academy looking at each other.

“What do we do?” Diego asked.

“Act normal.” Five told them. “Go about business as we would. Train, fight crime and work to make sure the end of the world never comes about, at least whilst we have a chance of stopping it.”

“Sounds simple enough.” Klaus snorted.

“We’ll figure it out.” Allison assured him. “It’ll take time, but we’re here now, and as a family this time.”

“First, we need to find Vanya’s medicine.” Five told them, directing the others to look around the room for her pills, Diego finding them a few moments later.

“Lift her head up.” He told Allison, who lifted Vanya’s head up and Five opened her mouth and slippped the pill inside her, Klaus moving over to them.

“Well since I have the most experience with taking pills and everything.” He said, massaging Vanya’s throat to make sure she swallowed her pill, when that was done, Allison lowered her head back onto her pillow.

“That sorts it then. Let’s get to bed, before dad realises something is up.” Luthor said, heading out of the room in a hurry. The rest of the kids followed him, most of them looking at each other and at Vanya with a worried look.

As Ben closed the door behind him with a sad smile, a quiet gasp came from the bed.

As Vanya opened her eyes.


	2. Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanya awakens and the siblings have a meeting, whilst Hazel and Agnes have a discussion about what comes next for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the lovely reviews and comments and the love for the fic. I’ll be trying to update this as much as possible. Although it hasn’t been brought up, I feel as the writer I should. Spelling and grammar issues. The problem is Microsoft Office isn’t a “Buy and it works forever” anymore, it’s buy and renew after a year, my year is up and I can’t renew for a few months still, so I’m using something called “Ink Office”. The problem with Ink Office? No spell check, no grammar check, at least none I’ve found, and the spacing is horrendous. Once I have Microsoft again, I’ll be editing all chapters I’ve written upto then to correct these issues, but for now, if you see any which slip past my proof read I do before I upload, or any super odd spacing, I’m sorry about it.

Vanya looked around as her eyes opened. Was she at the Academy? Looking around she saw it was her old childhood room, and she felt herself getting angry and confused. How was this back? Why was it back? Was this all in her mind? As she felt her rage at being back at the site of so much of her pain though, she realised something. The noise. She couldn’t feel the pressure building as the noise intensified. There was nothing.

 

‘What happened to me? Where are my powers?’ Vanya asked herself as she tried again and again to summon up anything. Anything at all which would help her. Nothing. She was powerless again. Had it all been a dream?

 

She tried to move her legs and felt them weakly stirring below her. Her entire body ached she realised. Had she hurt herself somehow in bed? Or was it not just a dream? She had to know. She had to get out of the bed. Forcing herself to her feet, she crept to her door and opened it, seeing the hallway deserted, she slowly crept down it, one hand on the wall to try and keep herself upright. Heading down the hallway, she came upon Five’s room and saw a light on underneath the door. Knocking softly on it, she heard Five mutter “Enter.” Pushing it open, she watched as Five’s jaw dropped open.

 

“V-Vanya?” Five asked.

 

“Five? Are you alright?” Vanya asked him, worried but his actions made her think that maybe she hadn’t imagined it all. Did she really have powers? If she did, why couldn’t she use them now?

 

“Yeah I’m fine. What do you want?”

 

“Five.” Vanya said to him. “What happened?”

 

“What do you remember?” Five asked her. Whatever she said, he was sure he could handle it, keep her calm.

 

“All of it. Powers. The theatre being shot up. All of you in the air, powerless before me and then a gunshot and darkness.” Vanya whispered.

 

“I wasn’t sure what you’d remember if anything.” Five mumbleed, confirming her worst fears, that Vanya hadn’t imagined it at all. It had happened. She’d ended the world. How could she let it happen? How could she stop herself doing it again?

 

“How did I…?” Vanya trailed off.

 

“It was your powers.” Five explained to her. “You’d had them surpressed for so long, you’d been treated like shit by the rest of us for so long, that eventually you snapped.”

 

“I didn’t hurt any of you, did I?” Vanya asked, her voice breaking as she feared she’d inflicted terrible pain on her family.

 

“No, we managed to get out of there pretty fine. I brought us all back here, to the past. So we could change things this time.”

 

“W-What do you mean, all of us?”

 

“All seven of us. Back together.” Five allowed himself a small smile. He’d saved his family, like he had tried to do. That alone was worth a small celebration in his mind.

 

“Seven?” Vanya asked. Was Ben back somehow?

 

“Yeah, it transported our consciousnesses to the past, not the body and Ben was holding onto Klaus when we jumped, so Ben came back as well, full memories of death and the afterlife included.” Five snorted. “God, we’re a fucked up lot aren’t we?”

 

Vanya said nothing for a moment, just staring at Five before closing the distance between the two of them and hugging Five who went limp in shock at the movement.

 

It’d been years, decades really, since anyone had hugged him, had cared for him like that, in any way really, other than Delores. Delores. Oh God, he’d forgotten all about her. Well in this time, would she even exist? She wouldn’t be the Delores he knew and loved, that much was certain.

 

“What do we do?” Vanya whispered against him as she held on tightly to him, asa Five felt his hands move of their own accord and wrap around his sister, holding her tight to him.

 

“We figure this out, not as Numbers One to Seven, but as a family.” Five assured her and Vanya felt herself sink more into the embrace.

 

“Why can’t I use my powers?” Vanya asked. Surely Five would know. If he knew, if he had something to do with it, Vanya could feel her anger already building.

 

“We weren’t sure how you’d react when you woke up, we slipped you a pill to keep them down when you woke up, just until we could calm you down.” Five said, head bowed. “I’m sorry, Vanya. I know you don’t like it, but we wanted to make sure you wouldn’t be hurt.” ‘Or hurt others.’ was the unspoken words between them, but Vanya understood.

 

“It’s alright, Five.” Vanya smiled at him, sure she would have been pissed, but she knew they were doing it to protect her as well as others. She couldn’t stay angry at that.

 

“We’ll get through this, Vanya.” Five reassured her, as he broke off the hug. “We’re all in this together.”

 

Together. That sounded nice to her.

 

/

 

“How much further is it?” Hazel asked Agnes as he drove through the countryside.

 

“It’s only a few more miles up the road to where the diner will be.” Agnes told him. “Once we’ve got some stuff sorted there, I’ll get to work on building up the diner for us whilst you go deal with your business, saving the world.” She assured him.

 

“Thanks, I’m sorry about this. I’d want nothing more than to just leave this all alone and have a quiet life, with you.” Hazel told her. “But if I don’t do something, it’ll only be a brief pause, only a few years of happiness before its all swept away.”

 

“But what if it isn’t?” Agnes asked him. “What if it changes? History can change, us just coming here proves that. Why not just be with me and be happy here, Hazel?”

 

“I need to make sure we have a future, Agnes.” Hazel told her firmly. “I need to make sure the end doesn’t come! We’ve been over this.”

 

“It isn’t certain though.” Agnes told him. “We change things with every choice we make. You told me that before we left 2019. Making a choice not to do anything, that could stop everything.”

Hazel sighed as he thought over her words. She was right, now that there were here, maybe the Apocalypse wouldn’t happen after all.

 

“You’re right, Agnes. Maybe I should leave it be. Whose to say the world won’t be saved just by us being here.”

 

“See.” Agnes told him. “We can be happy together.”

 

“I’m sure we will be, for a very long time.” Hazel said, putting a hand on Agnes’ knee and giving it a gentle squeeze. It’d be alright, and if he thought it wouldn’t be, he’d make sure it would be. For Agnes.

 

/

 

“What are we doing, Five?” Vanya asked as he led her from his room and towards Allison’s.

 

“Just trust me. I asked the others to meet me here in a minute.” Five told her.

 

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” Vanya muttered as Five walked into the room, to see the other five already sat around.

 

“So, why have you called us here, Five?” Luther asked.

 

“I thought the plan was to go about as if nothing had happened and head to bed?” Allison asked.

 

“Personally, I’m happy to do anything that involves getting us away from daddy dearest sooner.” Klaus said as Ben nodded along with him.

 

“I’m not letting him cause my death again.” Ben said.

 

“We won’t. We’ll fix everything. Starting with Vanya and training her to use her powers.” Five told them.

 

“How do we know she’ll even remember anything? Will she be willing to work with us and try control it?” Luther asked.

 

“I’m sure she will. I trust her to try and control it.” Allison said.

 

‘Allison can talk again?’ Vanya thought to herself, tears welling up in her eyes as she did.

 

“I hate to side with the big guy on anything, but he has a point, how can we know she’ll try?” Diego asked.

 

“Because I want too.” Vanya said as she walked into the room behind Five, the others reacted to her presence in different ways. Ben just nodded to her, Allison and Klaus gave her hesitant smiles that she returned, Diego raised an eyebrow and fingered a knife but made no move whilst Luther looked in disbelief before crossing his arms.

 

“How do we know you can control them, though?” Luther challenged her, ignoring the protests from Allison, Klaus, Ben and Five.

 

“Because I didn’t entirely explode at the Theatre. Because I know I have been able to have some limited control before. I want to develop that and be able to keep it under control.”

 

Luther said nothing as he looked stonily at her, before sighing and sitting down.

 

“If you think you can handle them, then yes, we’ll train you.” He said as the rest scowled at him.

 

“She’s not just a project for us. She’s our _sister.”_ Allison hissed at him, Luther was taken back by the venom in her voice.

 

“I didn’t mean-” Luther started as the others turned on him as well.

 

“If she thinks she can handle them?” Ben spat at him. “She’s here, wanting to do her utmost to prevent anything like the future we came from from ever happening again and you’re acting as if its a privelege to be trained by us and not her right?”

 

“Wow, how do you find ways to out-do yourself with how much of a dick you can be, Luther?” Diego whistled.

 

“Look, I’m sorry, ok? I didn’t mean it like that!” Luther protested.

 

“No, I get it.” Vanya said, her voice sounding small even for her. “I get why you’d think like that, Luther. The truth is, I don’t even know if I can. I want to be better. I don’t want to hurt anyone, especially not any of you guys.” She said as more tears gathered and she felt her cheeks become wet as they slid down her face.

 

Seeing this, Klaus moved over to her and wrapped her up in a hug, her arms snaking their way around him as well.

 

“We’ll get through this, all of us.” Klaus whispered in her ears as he gently rocked her in his arms.

 

“What is the meaning of this?” Came a new voice at the door, whirling around, Reginald Hargreeves was stood in the doorway, a look of thunderous rage on his face as he took in his children all together in one room, after hours.

 

“Explain yourselves at once.”


	3. One Apocalyptic Change at a time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Siblings consider their next move as an old enemy plots theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering about the Luther hate, Luther WILL be redeemed. He’s as much as victim of the abuse of Reginald Hargreeves as all of the others, but he’s clearly more keen for his fathers approval and his father seems to have favoured him slightly, he’ll be torn between pleasing his father and being united with his siblings, at least for a time.

‘Hugging people feels nice.’ Klaus thought as his arms wrapped around Vanya and hers around him. ‘I wonder why I didn’t do it more often in the future?’

 

He could feel Vanya shaking in his arms and did his best to soothe her, rocking her gently and whispering that nobody blamed her, that they were all in this together and she’d never be left alone again. Then it all came crashing down when dear old dad walked into the room.

 

“Well, what is the meaning of this, children?” Hargreeves asked as he took in the sight of his children, all of them looking shocked and dare he say, angry?

 

The siblings all just looked at Hargreeves, wondering what to do next. All of them felt anger and betrayal at the sight of him, and Ben could feel the Horror urging him on, begging to be freed, Diego’s hand found one of his knives and he knew he’d throw it before long if nothing changed. Vanya desperately wished she had her powers at that moment, to make Reginald feel even a fraction of the pain he’d put them all through over the years.

 

“We were just...” Luther began, before trailing off. What possible excuse coukld he give that his father would buy? It had been years since he spoke to the man face to face.

 

“ _I heard a rumour that you didn’t see us in here and went back to bed.”_ Allison said, as the rest watched in surprise, Hargreeves’ eyes turned white and he turned and left without another word.

 

Allison looked shocked at what she had just done as the rest of them turned to her. Diego gave her an approving nod, as did Luther, whilst the rest looked surprised. All except Vanya who looked PISSED.

 

“Are you kidding me? That’s part of the reason we got into this mess, using the Rumour.” Vanya said angrily as the rest looked at her in confusion.

 

“What do you mean, why we got into this mess?” Ben asked.

 

“When we were four, Dad took me to Vanya, when she was in the chamber under the house, and told me to tell her that I’d heard a rumour that Vanya thought she was ordinary.” Allison admitted, face burning with shame as she did. Looking at the others, Luther looked stone faced, Diego seemed disgusted with her, whilst Five, Klaus and Ben looked mutinous.

 

“Really? Fuck me, why wouldn’t you say no?” Klaus said to her.

 

“I was four!” Allison refuted. “I hate that I did it and I wish I could take it back, but I was four!” She could feel herself beginning to cry as she argued back. She felt like a monster, even having to relive doing it, but she was just a child, just a child after all.

 

“Look, I’m not saying Allison was a saint, but she was only a kid. Cut her some slack.” Diego said, Klaus, Ben and Five looked thoughtful at this, after all hadn’t they done terrible things themselves in their lives?

 

“Alright. I’m sorry, Allison.” Klaus said.

 

“Yeah, I shouldn’t have judged you.” Ben said, Five nodding along with it. He wasn’t much for the mushy apologies, he had more pressing things to deal with at the moment that settling an already dead argument.

 

“I’m not saying I forgive you for it, I hope one day I can, but right now, I, I just can’t. But I do understand why you did it.” Vanya told her, slipping away from her place at Klaus’ side and walking over to Allison. “You’re my sister, Allison. And I love you.” Vanya said as she stretched out her arms and hugged Allison, Allison choking back a sob with laughter as she returned the hug.

 

“I love you too, Vanya.”

 

/

 

“There it is!” Agnes said as Hazel drove further up the road, seeing an old diner at the road side, a For Sale sign in the window.

 

“This is the place? Bit remote isn’t it?” Hazel asked. He couldn’t have seen more than five or six cars the last hour or two. Would the business even survive past a month here?

 

“It’s near a prime bird watching area.” Agnes told him. “We’ll spread the word, get the bird watching community to come here. We won’t be millionaires, but we’ll be happy here.” She insisted.

 

“I could go for happy.” Hazel smiled at her, pulling the car into the parking lot and sharing a quick kiss with her. Yeah, he could go for happy, after what seemed like a lifetime of duty and misery.

 

/

 

The next few days passed in a blur for the Hargreeves kids. They trained all day, sticking to Reginald’s rules and trying to keep him in the dark about their adventures. Easier said than done, especially when they made a point to include Vanya now, something that had surprised Reginald, something he certainly hadn’t told them to do or signed off on allowing, but there was nothing he could do now. Luther still hadn’t fully come around, but the others were warming to Vanya and her presence with them. This time, they would be a family. A real one.

 

Today would be the first big test of timeline differences a day where they needed to make sure something changed, to make sure the world would be a little safer. It would also be a day where they’d see how far Vanya could have come with her powers after a few days extra training than she’d had the first time around.

 

It was the day that Harold Jenkins would try get accepted into the Academy.

 

They had one of two ways they could play it. Either they could change his fate or they could remove him from the timeline. Either had the potential to backfire horrendously, but they knew there was no other way. They’d briefly considered seeing if their dad would take him in as an assistant to himself, like Vanya was treated, but quickly shot it down. He’d refuse and question how they knew of the boy and what he wanted.

 

Luther was of the mind that they should change his fate. He’d had little interaction with Harold the first time, and wanted to see if they could make him into a better man.

 

Diego was of the mind that they should end him quickly. He remembered all too well the shrine Harold had to them all, and how he’d become warped in his obsession to kill them. His death would be removing an enemy to them all in the future, he reasoned.

 

Allison agreed with Diego. She’d seen first hand what Harold had done to warp Vanya’s mind the first time around, how he had forced Vanya to leave with him after Vanya had lashed out, stopped Vanya from helping her and possibly stopping the apocalypse from ever happening. Allison wanted Harold Jenkins gone.

 

Klaus was of a smiliar dispostion to Luther. He’d have little to do with Harold before, and having seen his fair share of death and destruction in Vietnam, he didn’t want to be involved in any needless killing, especially when if they changed Harold’s life for the better, they could help to heal the cracks in their own family dynamic.

 

Five liked the idea of a quick clean exit, just to get rid of the loose end, but he supported the “Change Harold” camp. It would likely be less of a ripple according to his calculations, and anything that kept them out of the crosshairs of the Commission, at least for now, was what he wanted. If they had to tangle with the Commission again, as he feared they eventually would, he wanted them all to be prepared and able to fight their damn hardest.

 

Ben was of the mind that Harold had caused the apocalypse by fucking up his sister. His baby sister in his eyes. He didn’t care that he’d come back from the dead because of it, Harold Jenkins was going to pay.

 

Vanya was the one mostly in two minds. She knew what Harold had done to her, how he had manipulated her, lied to her and hurt her to get her to unlock her powers and use them to bring destruction on those he despised, the Umbrella Academy. How his betrayal of her had led to her freaking out and causing the Apocalypse. Yet she also remembered the Leonard that was sweet to her, who sympathised with her, who had also had a shitty upbringing, at least he hadn’t lied about that part to her. In some sick way, they _were_ alike and kindred spirits. She eventually decided she couldn’t kill him, at least not whilst there was a chance he could become a good person. They’d change his timeline, make sure he had a chance. The best way to do that now, was to make sure his father stopped being abusive. Maybe it’d work, maybe it wouldn’t, but it was their best hope without killing Harold.

 

The plan was set, the day arrived as the Hargreeves family all set off for a parade that the Mayor was holding in their honour. Numbers One to Six and their father would head off for the parade, the route there and back flanked by their adoring fans, whilst Seven waited at home with Grace and Pogo. Once they returned, and Reginald had cast Harold aside, the seven kids would sneak away and head to Jenkins’ house, to try and sort out his life.

 

/

 

“There’s been a problem with the timeline.”

 

“Yes, there’s been a fair few, you’ll have to be more specific, Dot. What’s happening with the apocalypse?”

 

“You see...it might not be happening.” Dot explained, cringing as her boss stood up in a rage before her.

 

“FIVE!” The Handler screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She's backkkk!


	4. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanya tests out her powers as plans are drawn up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thnks to Wonder10001 for bringing up whether Reggie would have let the kids include Vanya. I’ve purposely left it vague on what training constitutes for now. He assumes it’s just harmless things like running and sparring, not useful for Seven in his eyes but eh let them do it, it’s when she begins to use her powers and emotions that Hargreeves will blow his top. My reasoning for this assumption is the man obviously had fingers in many pies with his plans, I highly doubt he watched every single training session of his children, likely trusting Pogo, Grace or even the children, especially Vanya, to inform him of significant events or changes. So, for this purpose, most training sessions, the children will be unsupervised, especially being teenagers, as they’ll have had years of him and thus know what he’ll expect. Of course, some significant training sessions, he’ll be there for.

“What do we do about Five and his attempts to stop the apocalypse from happening?” Dot asked the Handler who looked at her underling with a sigh.

 

“Don’t you worry about that, Dot. I’ve already got people working on bringing Five to heel. Sure, he slipped past us all by jumping back in time, espeically irksome bringing his family back with him, and of course my...incapacitation when Hazen betrayed us, was unfortunate. But now that all of those unpleasantries are fixed, I’m well and good again, we can work on that. I’ve already got a temporal assassin on the way, someone who will probably enjoy a bit of revenge themselves.”

 

/

 

``So, how do we do this?” Vanya asked as they gathered in her room.

 

“I was going to let you lead on this.” Five said. “Look, I’ll be with you, as will Allison. You’re not ready to go out alone, but we’ll be there to help if your powers get too much.” he told Vanya who nodded. Sure, she still wasn’t comfortable with Allison using her Rumour powers on her, but if Five couldn’t jump them to a safe distance, she’d be willing to let her sister do it to protec them and others.

 

“I’m not the most comfortable with this idea.” Diego piped up.

 

“Why, Diego?” Five asked.

 

“It’s simpler just to kill him. Besides, Vanya isn’t ready yet, we haven’t had long trying to help her, and I get why she’s concerned with the idea of Allison’s powers being used on her again.”

 

“I can handle it, Diego!” Vanya insisted as Diego shook his head.

 

“It’s not that I don’t think you’ll be able to handle it, Vanya. Just not yet. You’ve only just started training, I don’t want to see you lose control and hurt yourself.”

 

“We’ll be there to help her.” Allison protested. 

 

“I don’t need your help, Allison!” Vanya shouted, her voice raising as she felt her anger build. The room began to shake as the Hargreeves children looked between them. Vanya needed to calm down now.

 

“Vanya!” Diego said, walking over to her. “You need to calm down!” 

 

Vanya just felt her anger build more and more as the room shook more and more violently, things flying from the shelves and smashing against the floor. The door beginning to crack, a voice from below them called out, what they were saying was unintelligable compared to the noise in the room. Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

 

Vanya fell to her knees and began to cry, whispering “All my fault...so sorry...my fault.” as the rest of them looked around at the destruction it had caused. Sensing she needed it, Ben and Klaus quickly moved to either side of her and sat with her, whispering soothing words to her and exchanging turns hugging her, trying to get her to cheer up and settle down. Allison looked lost, devastated that her sister had lost all her faith in Allison, despite everything, she was making progress with her, would it all be for nothing?

 

Diego looked as if he’d been slapped, shocked at his own actions and insensitivity. He too moved towards Vanya.

 

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-” he started before Five and Luthber dragged him away.

 

“Not now, you’ll only make it worse.” Five told him.

 

“Maybe you should stay here, when we go to Harold’s.” Luther told him. “Just in case.”

 

“Maybe you’re right.” Diego murmured, eyes fixed on Vanya’s sobbing form and wishing beyond anything that he could do anything to help her. 

 

“It’ll be just me and Vanya.” Five announced. “Vanya still needs to go, we need to gauge how far she’s coming along, and I can get us both there and back quickly. The rest of you should stay here and delay dad if he tries to find out where we are or what caused the shaking.”

 

“What about me?” Allison shot back at him.

 

“You and Diego are the reasons Vanya is currently on the floor with our brothers comforting her.” Five said. “I’m sorry, but no. Especially you and Diego need to stay away from this. I’d let Ben or Klaus come, maybe, but nobody else. I don’t want to have to deal with anymore emotional issues than we need too right now. It’s too important.”

 

“I’m in.” Ben and Klaus said at the same time.

 

“Yeah, bit risky to try jumping four of us there and back.” Five said. “The time jump with all seven of us left me woozy, why do you think I haven’t really used my powers since we got back? I’m trying not to tax it too hard. I’ll take Ben. Sorry, Klaus, but if it goes sideways, Ben’s abilities will be more useful than yours in this situation.”

 

“I get it.” Klaus grinned at him, trying not to let the sting of rejection penetrate his heart. He knew why he was being left out, of course, but to always be seen as the odd one out amongst the powered siblings in the last timeline, he couldn’t deny it still hurt to be rejected even for this. 

 

Five said nothing, simply smiling at Klaus. He knew it couldn’t be easy for his brother, but Vanya needed people there who could actually help, and not just with moral support in this situation. He’d speak to Klaus, maybe whilst he was gone with Ben and Vanya, Klaus could speak to the others about how they’d been acting. Even though they’d made some efforts, Luther still was distant, Allison and Diego couldn’t decide between being angry with Vanya or accepting of her and it was time this had to end. He wouldn’t allow a repeat of the Apocalypse due to their family issues, he simply couldn’t.

 

/

 

 

It had been a hard few days, buying the roadisde diner, preparing it for its opening, Agnes perfecting a recipe she’d considered before when she had a diner in the city. But finally they were ready. Flyers had gone around and people knew they were opening, but Hazel had a problem.

 

“Where is everyone?” He asked Agnes. The doors were due to open, but there was nothing. No traffic, nobody in the parking lot. Nothing.

 

“Maybe people are busy?” Agnes said, Hazel casting an eye back to her to see tears in her eyes. 

 

Why had nobody come? Were people late? Did people just not like her donuts? 

 

“Maybe I can go find out?” Hazel asked her. He was FURIOUS. They’d been working so hard on this, they’d done lots of promotion in the local community. Where were they? Why hadn’t they turned out for this? He could see it was hurting Agnes and that just fuelled his rage? How dare they hurt her?

 

“Don’t, Hazel.” Agnes pleaded with him. “Just give people time.”

 

“Alright. I’ll wait.” Hazel told her with a smile. He’d do anything for Agnes, for their future together. If that meant waiting to see if people showed up, he’d do it. 

 

/

 

Five scrunched his eyes together as he felt himself being squeezed through a tiny space again, Vanya and Ben’s hands linked into his. It had taken hours of soothing reassurances and promises that none of them at all were angry at her to calm Vanya down earlier that day, Reginald had come upstairs to seek answers, when he saw them huddled around Vanya he’d gone beserk.

 

“Seven has powers? Why did none of you report this to me?” Reginald demanded to know. “She must take her medication, immediately!” He said, striding forward, looking for her pills. He found his way blocked by Allison and, of all people, Luther.

 

“Number One? Number Three? What are you doing?” Hargreeves asked, incensed that his kids would dare stand in his way.

 

“I’m sorry, Dad, but we can’t let you do this to Vanya.” Luther told him, a faltering look on his face at first before a determined gaze set in.

 

“Number Seven needs her medication.” Hargreeves asked, ignoring their reference to her name. To him, they were Numbers One to Seven and they’d remain that way.

 

“Now, Number One, move aside and move Number Three aside, please.”

 

“No, sorry Dad, but no.” Luther told him.

 

“I’m very disappointed in you, Number One.” Hargreeves said, as Luther recoiled as if struck. The words he thought he’d never hear from his father.

 

“Why are you disappointed in us, Dad? If anything, we’re disappointed in you!” Allison spat at him, Hargreeves raising his eyebrow.

 

“I’m not sure what has gotten into you children recently, but I’ll put a stop to it.” Hargreeves told her, marching forward. “Now, move children, or do you need extra training to correct these recent behavioural problems?” Hargreeves raised a hand towards her as he spoke.

 

Before Allison could say anything, or move out of the way at all, Hargreeves fell to the floor in a heap, Luther standing over him, fist raised and enraged.

 

“You will not harm any of us ever again, _Dad.”_ Luther spat at him.

 

“Out! ALL OF YOU!” Hargreeves yelled as he gathered himself from the floor.

 

“We can’t leave, it’ll disrupt too much for now.” Five told them from his place trying to calm Vanya by the floor, looking around, Allison sighed and opened her mouth.

 

“ _I heard a rumour that you forgot all about this incident and didn’t notice anything with the house, ignoring any other noises you hear from us today after you leave the room.”_ Allison said, watching as Hargreeves stood up and walked out of the room, Luther quickly closing the door behind him.

 

“So, I guess we’re in this together, then?” Allison asked him as Luther laughed. 

 

“Yeah, you were all right earlier, when I wasn’t paying attention. It’s family above all, even above Dad.” Luther told Allison who beamed at him.

 

“There’s hope yet, don’t give it up, Luther.” Allison told him.

 

Luther smiled at her and nodded. They’d failed last time, they’d failed the world and more importantly, they’d failed each other. This time, they would not fail. 

 

As darkness began to fall, and Vanya calmed, the siblings decided to press ahead with their current plan, it was likely to be safer than just removing Harold still, Vanya would terrify his father, demanding that he treat his son better, Ben would be there to help calm her and also to reinforce the idea in Harold’s father that if he mistreated his son, the Umbrella Academy would be there to save Harold from him. Five would get them in and out as quickly as possible.  The three of them would wear their uniforms and masks, Vanya borrowing Allison’s to tell the elder Jenkins exactly who it was, what they could do if he didn’t improve his behaviour.  The aim was to not let Harold see them. If he knew they’d stopped his home life, he’d try seek out why they did, and if he saw it was only due to that, he’d likely still resent his father, and he may still murder the man. 

 

“Harold will be back before his Dad, so we need to accost his Dad outside, Vanya, use your anger at Harold to shake things, make things fly, if it doesn’t work to make him listen, Ben will unleash the Horror.” Five told her, Ben nodding along with him. He hated the Horror, but if it worked to sort this out, it’d be worth unleashing it this time.

 

“We’ll fix this issue, I promise, we’ll make it alright.” Ben said. “We’ll fix Harold and won’t let him get to you ever again, Vanya.” He said as Vanya looked small and frightened. She’d never let her powers out fully on purpose in this timeline, and last time she had, she wasn’t aiming to control it, this time, she would need all of her self control to keep them in check.

 

“We’re both with you, and the others are here in spirit if nothing else.” Five told her, giving her a small smile. He could only imagine how torn up inside Vanya felt, he too was feeling all kinds of emotions. This could be it, this could stop the Apocalypse from ever happening, and he knew if he did, well, he wasn’t sure what he’d do with himself, he’d spent so long trying to fix the Apocalypse. Could they truly be a family after all of this, and fix themselves?

 

“I’m scared.” Vanya admitted quietly, as doubt began to creep into her again. Could she really do this? Really change the timeline for the better? Or was she doomed to just let it play out as it had before?

 

“We’re right here, Vanya.” Ben smiled at her as he laid a hand on her shoulders. “If it gets too much, we’ll step in. Just focus on the sound of our voices. We’re here for you, we always will be.”

 

“I know, I’m sorry, I’m sorry I’m so stupid.” Vanya babbled, Ben feeling his heart break with every word. They’d really done a number on Vanya’s self esteem in the last timeline, hadn’t they?

 

“You’re not, V, not at all.” Ben told her calmly. “You’re the strongest of all of us, you’ve got this, if anyone can do this, change this event for the better, it’s you.” He assured her, as she smiled shyly.

 

“You sure I can do this?” Vanya asked him, voice hopeful and eyes wide.

 

“I know you can.” Ben smiled as Vanya shook her head and tried to psyche herself up. It was go time as Five jumped with both of them and they appeared in a yard outside a non descript looking home. The Jenkins residence.

 

“It’s time.” Five whispered in her ear as a truck pulled into the yard, a man with a face full of anger climbed out of the truck, and seeing three kids before him, lumbered towards them.

 

“Who are you? What do you kids want?” He asked, before noticing their uniforms and the masks they wore.

 

“Mr Jenkins. I’m from the Umbrella Academy. We know what you do in your home. What you’ve done to your son, Harold. We know everything.” Vanya told him with a glare.

 

“So what? What I do with my son doesn’t conceren you freaks.” He snarled as Five and Ben approached him, either side of Vanya.

 

“Oh I think it does.” Vanya told him, feeling her anger build around, like a protective dome, the wind whipping around her and the others as she did, Ben felt himself letting the Horror free, the tentacles sprouting into the air menacingly as Jenkins’ father looked between Vanya and Ben in terror.

 

“Please! Don’t hurt me, I’ll do whatever you want, please!” He begged them.

 

“What we want.” Five told him. “Is simple. Your son, you mistreat him, why?”

 

“My wife died giving birth to that ungrateful waste of space!” He cried out.

 

“I don’t care.” Vanya said as the winds got more intense and he could feel it slicing against his cheek, a dribble of blood running down from it. “You WILL treat him better, do you understand? If you don’t, we’ll find out. If you don’t, we’ll know.” She promised as he nodded his head in understanding.

 

“Please, don’t hurt me, I’ll treat Harold better, I swear it.”

 

“Good. Oh, and don’t think about telling Harold about this at all. You decided to be a better father and a good man all on your own, do you understand?” Ben asked.

 

“Yes, yes, I swear!” He cried as the tendrils returned to Ben, the wind however just kept building.

 

“Vanya!” Ben cried as Vanya was beset by memories from within the house, of Leonard calling her ordinary and useless, stating that even he despised her.

 

“Vanya. Enough.” Five said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “It’s over, please, calm down.”

 

Vanya could feel the winds whipping more and more as the memories assaulted her, before she broke the connection, tears falling as she fell to her knees and sobbed. Jenkins fled into the house as Ben and Five hugged her, Five jumping them back to the Academy as Vanya sobbed and repeated “I’m sorry….I’m sorry!”

 

/

 

“I’m so glad you chose to take this assignment.”

 

“Well, from what you told me about my future self, I think I need to do this. I can’t believe Hazel would have left me to rot, hopefully I can get revenge on him.”

 

“One day, but this takes precendence. Five and his entire family poses an unprecendented risk to the timeline. Eliminate them all. Except for Vanya Hargreeves. We need to ensure she goes ahead with the Apocalypse, push her to the state needed then jump her to 2019 and let it go. Then return to HQ for your next assignment.”

 

“Thank you for the opportunity at the least.” The woman said to the Handler.

 

“I’m sure you’ll do the Commission proud, after all, you’re one of the finest agents we’ve ever had...Cha-Cha.”


	5. Exploding Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanya and Five have a chat whilst the other siblings explore their own damage and Cha-Cha hunts her prey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating last couple of days, long shifts at work last few days and next few weeks. I don’t promise daily updates as if I do I never deliver, but unofficially I’m trying for daily. I’ve bought Apocalypse Suite and Dallas now so I can finally catch up on the comics and educate myself more on the comics side of the U.A, also BIG NEWS! I’m off to MCM Birmingham in 2 weeks tomorrow where I’m meeting Emmy and Tom (Allison and Luther)!!!

“Vanya! Vanya!” Five called out as they reached the Academy, Vanya still rocking and sobbing, the room shook as she did. “Ben, get the others!” Five relayed as Ben dashed out of the room, looking for the other siblings.

 

“All my fault...so sorry….didn’t mean it.” Vanya said as she screwed her eyes shut and the room began to shake more and more violently, Five debating with himself what he should do. With a sigh, he grabbed hold of Vanya’s arm as she screamed and jumped, taking them both away from the Academy.

 

“I’m here...” Ben said, pulling the others behind him into an empty room. “Where did they go?”

 

“The house started to shake then stopped, I guess he took Vanya elsewhere?” Klaus asked.

 

“Right, since he’s done that, sit down you four. It’s time we had a talk.” Ben told them.

 

“What is it, Ben?” Luther asked, arms crossing as he sat.

 

“If we’re going to sort this out, you need to stop tip-toeing around Vanya. Why are you being so hesitant, Luther?”

 

“It’s not that I’m being hesistant.” Luther protested as the rest turned to him.

 

“Yes you are, you barely speak to Vanya, you actively try to avoid her.” Diego shot back at him.

 

“If we want to sort this out, if we want to be a proper family, we all need to be open.” Allison berated Luther. “That means talking with Vanya, if you have any issues with any of us, let’s talk it out and not block each other out.”

 

“Whilst I’m in agreement with all of that, you need to stop using your powers so much, Allison.” Klaus told her as she turned to him in shock. “Part of the reason we needed to jump back here was because Vanya freaked when you tried to use your powers to calm her down, she’s clearly _scared_ of your powers, every time you use them in front of her, you’re reminding her of the cabin.” Klaus told Allison who looked stunned to hear it.

 

“Is that why she’s been distant with me?” Allison asked in a small voice, looking more like a lost child than someone who had lived through some pretty dark times.

 

Ben gave her a ‘What do you think?’ look as she said that and she shrunk back from him, thinking over Klaus’ words. 

 

“What about me? I get Luther being distant and Vanya having flashbacks with Allison, but what have I done wrong?” Diego asked.

 

“Well let me guess, it might be that you did argue at first that she might not even try control her powers, and I know you’re still bitter over the fact that Mom died, even if we reversed all of that.”

 

“Can you blame me, after everything Mom did for all of us, Vanya didn’t even spare a thought for letting her get out, killing her along with Pogo.” Diego argued.

 

“I know and believe me, we all need to discuss what the future holds, including Vanya, we can’t have that discussion until we help her to master her powers, and we can’t do that until we work through the issues we all have with Vanya and with each other. The only other way of Vanya mastering them would be to let Dad train her, and you know what would happen. If he could be convinced not to try remove her powers again, he’d damage her far worse than he already did with his dismissive behaviour.” Ben argued. “We have to help each other and her ourselves. Klaus, can I talk to you for a second?” Ben asked, seeing the others thinking over his words. Klaus nodded and followed Ben from the room as the rest turned to one another and began to talk.

 

/

 

“Vanya. Open your eyes.” Five’s voice cut through the darkness as Vanya opened her eyes. It was morning, here, wherever here was. There was nothing around for miles as far as Vanya could see, except the sound of birdsong in the distance and a mountain just within view.

 

“W-Where are we?” Vanya asked him, voice catching as she did. Looking around she could see there was the remains of what she could only assume were trees strewn around, some obliterated, others on the floor, most still smouldering from what she could only guess was a recent forest fire.

 

“I took you to a remote woodland in Washington. Figured it’d be best to let you blow off some steam in a secluded area with nobody living.” Five told her.

 

“I did this?” Vanya asked, heart sinking as she saw all the destruction.

 

“Hey, I told you it’d take time.” Five gently said, putting a hand on her shoulder, Vanya flinching at his touch. “It’ll take months if not years to master these powers, Vanya. I said I’d help you, and I will, even if it means letting you explode once in a while.”

 

“Why, Five?” Vanya asked. “Why help me like this? After what I did, what I was going to do? What you had to live through because of me?”

 

“Because you’re my sister.” Five said to her. “I fought against an agency that protected the timeline itself for you guys, I won’t let our pasts define us. You may have ended the world, once, but this time you won’t, because we’ll be there to help you.”

 

“I don’t deserve your help though, Dad was right about me.” Vanya murmured, averting her gaze. “I just hurt everyone I touch, I should be ordinary like he says.”

 

“Don’t think like that, Vanya, please.” Five told her, pulling her close to him and wrapping his arms around her. “You’ve got me, you’ve got Luther, the big idiot. Diego, Allison would do anything you asked of her in an instant, Klaus and Ben, any one of us would die for you in a moment, don’t ever think we don’t love you.”

 

“Why would you? I hurt everyone.” Vanya cried as she sobbed into Five’s chest.

 

“Why wouldn’t we? We’re family, Vanya. Family should stick together and from now on, this family will.”

 

/

 

“Excuse me, Sir, do you know where I can find Agnes’ donut shop?” Cha-Cha asked as she pulled up alongside another driver eating a donut. She’d heard the donut store where Hazel was hiding out was in the area, and this man could well have a lead to her former partner.

 

“The new place?” The man asked.

 

“Yeah, recently opened, I got a tip its a good place for a donut.” Cha-Cha said, rolling her eyes slightly. 

 

“Drive up this road for about 20 minutes, it’s on the left in the parking lot.” The man said with a wave of his sugar coated fingers as he sped off. Cha-Cha just smiled as she gripped her steering wheel and sped off in the direction the man had pointed out to her. Soon it would be time to make Hazel pay.

 

In the time the Commission had plucked her from, Hazel and her made a great team still, they’d just done a job in the Swiss Alps, having hunted down Jan Muller and his wife. They were supposed to be heading on a new assignment, but she’d been called into see The Handler, and now she knew why. Her Hazel could still be trusted, she hoped, but this Hazel needed to be terminated, for the good of the Commission. She’d argued that they could reason with him, it’s Hazel after all, he’d see the error of his ways and rejoin them, follow orders as he should do, but The Handler had insisted Hazel was done with them, and no loose ends could exist. It was retirement or death, and he’d chosen death.

 

As Cha-Cha pulled in towards the parking lot, she saw the diner was largely quiet, only a couple of cars and most of them seemed to be leaving. In the window she could see a large man smiling, and she knew she’d found her mark.

 

/

 

“What is it you want, Ben?” Klaus sighed.

 

“You know what I missed most about being alive?” Ben asked abruptly.

 

“Food?” Klaus teased.

 

“Being able to feel. Properly feel. I know the look in your eyes, Klaus. I saw it far too much when I was dead not to know it. You’re hurting, on the inside. Let me in.” Ben insisted as Klaus stared at him.

 

“Nah, I think I’m alright thanks.”

 

“Klaus, please. You can’t keep trying to shut out the world it won’t work forever.” Ben told him. “You need to talk about it, your feelings, your pain.”

 

“My pain? You want to know what my pain is, Ben? My pain is even though we’ve come back to here, I’ve still lost everything. I don’t have the enjoyment of drugs anymore due to my age, no dealer would sell me shit, and we’re too late in time for me to do anything for Dave, whilst I’m glad you get to be alive again, and we have a chance to stop everything ending, in the end, it’ll just be the lot of you again, only this time with Vanya, and I’ll be left out in the cold. You know what? I’m ok with that.” Klaus said before storming off from Ben and heading elsewhere into the house, leaving Ben staring awkwardly after him, eyes filling with tears.

/

 

“So, are we going to talk about what Ben just said?” Luther asked Diego and Allison as they looked at each other.

 

“What’s there to talk about?” Luther asked. “We’re all screw ups he said, all seven of us have severe damage as we know.”

 

“Doesn’t mean we can’t work on fixing each other.” Allison replied. “We’re all damaged, but together, maybe we can form something new from our damaged selves.”

 

“Like what?” Diego asked.

 

“A family might be a nice start.” Allison smiled at the two of them.

 

“How do we do that?” Diego asked.

 

“Well, for starters, maybe we should all be here for that discussion. We should all have input.” Allison said.

 

“I’m with Allison on this.” Luther said. “We can’t make decisions for the group.”

 

“What do we do about Dad though? We can’t keep all of this a secret forever, even if we did keep the time travel stuff secret, Vanya’s powers will get out to him eventually, you can’t just Rumour him to forget every time Allison.” Diego stated.

 

“If it protects us all, I’d Rumour him into a coma.” Allison said. “But you’re right, I can’t keep doing it, especially if its driving a wedge between Vanya and I.”

 

“Do you think Pogo would mind if we locked Dad in the chamber for a few days?” Luther asked with a smirk as the other two laughed.

 

“I think we’d need to lock Pogo in with him.” Allison joked.

 

“Lock me in where?” A voice asked as they saw Pogo standing in the doorway.

 

“How long have you been there, Pogo?” Diego asked, hands sliding towards a knife.

 

“Only a moment, Master Diego. Now, do tell me what’s going on with you children lately, you’re always so distant to myself and your father in recent days.”

 

/

 

“Are you ready to go back, Vanya?” Five asked his sister as they took in the sunset together in the forest. They’d been gone an entire day by this point, whilst Five knew Hargreeves probably wouldn’t miss either of them, as he knew his siblings would likely cover for them for a day or so, if they didn’t return soon, that could be problematic.

 

“Yes.” Vanya smiled back at him, her face a mask of calmness as turmoil raged inside her.

 

“You know I perfected that look, back when I was with the Commission?” Five asked her. “I know you’re not alright, Vanya, but I promise you, we’re all here.”

“I know, Five. But I’m not the only one who needs help and support, we all do, even you.” Vanya told him.

 

“Some damage is worse than others.” Five said.

 

“All damage needs to be repaired.” Vanya whispered as Five nodded. Yeah, he knew his own personal demons would probably keep a team of therapists busy for decades, but he could only focus on one thing at the moment, and Vanya would be that thing. Once they’d made some progress, once their family was whole and happy again, then maybe he could look towards his own problems and his own demons wrestling inside him.

 

Maybe he’d find out Delores again, get her on side as a confidant. Man, he’d have to introduce himself to her all over again, she’d have no memories of the last timeline after all. Maybe he could have a fresh start with her, once this was all over. Just the two of them, go off travelling as they had done, back in the future. Except this time the world wouldn’t be a completely shit wasteland. 

 

‘I think I’d like that.’ Five thought to himself. ‘Delores and I, exploring, popping back home every so often to check in with everyone, help out and then off on the road again. Could turn my equations into a book, like Vanya’s, except mine would probably be seen as a great mathematical piece or the ravings of a demented person.’

 

“Five?” Vanya asked, seeing him lost in his own thoughts for a moment.

 

“Hmm?” Five asked, pulling himself back together.

 

“Maybe we should go home.” Vanya said. 

 

“Alright, grab my hand.” Five told her.

 

“Oh, Five?” Vanya asked, before he could jump.

 

“Yes, Vanya?”

 

“Do you have my pills with you?”

 

“I kept the bottle with me, just in case you asked for it, yeah.” Five said.

 

“Please may I have it?” Vanya asked as Five handed it to her.

 

Throwing it as far as she could, before closing her eyes and listening to her heartbeat and the songs of the birds, Vanya aimed for the bottle and smiled when she heard a faint bang, indicating it and its contents had exploded.

 

“I’m ready to go home now.” Vanya smiled at him, Five measuring her with a look before returning the smile.

 

“I’m sure you are.” He said as he jumped them back to the Academy.

 

/

 

“What can I get you?” Hazel’s voice said from behind the counter as Cha-Cha entered the building.

 

“How about an order of betrayal and death?” Cha-Cha asked, pulling out her gun, Hazel turning to see her in shock.

 

“Cha-Cha? How?” Hazel asked.

 

“It’s time we settled this, Hazel. The Commission wants you dead. I intend to keep my contracts.” Cha-Cha said as she aimed the gun towards him, too far for him to knock it out of her hands or knock her down before she fired.

 

“Ok, Cha-Cha, if you want to kill me, that’s fine. I understand. Just please, not here.”

 

“And why shouldn’t I? You betrayed me, Hazel. The Commission told me everything. You left me to die in the future, to run off with what, some whore? Why shouldn’t I splatter your brains, what little you’ve got left, all over her diner? Huh?”

 

“I know you’re not the Cha-Cha I left. You’re from the past, obviously. Just think of the Hazel you serve with. He’s your friend, and so was I. For that friendship, please, don’t make Agnes suffer anymore than you did in my time. Just let me leave a note, take me out back and do it. I won’t fight you, I won’t try to run. Just please, Cha-Cha.” Hazel pleaded, his own hands inching underneath the counter, where they kept a secret handgun, just in case.


	6. The Chimp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel and Cha-Cha come to blows as the kids decide who to turn too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy International Women’s day to everyone! What’s this? Two updates in a day! Putting this one out earlier as I’ll be busy tomorrow morning watching Captain Marvel.

“So, how do we help each other? You want to go back with a successful mission, whilst I want to live happily here with Agnes. The Apocalypse is over, it doesn’t matter anymore.” Hazel told Cha-Cha as he inched towards his own gun, Cha-Cha still aiming towards his head.

 

“My other self, I bet she trusted you like I did, didn’t she?” Cha-Cha asked, moving closer towards Hazel. “I bet she thought you’d never turn your back on the Commission, or on her. But you did. Why should I even consider letting you live?”

 

“Because of what we had, our partnership.” Hazel said. “Can I just bend down and grab a pen and paper, write out that note before you take me outside?” Hazel asked, the gun was just out of his reach, if he could only bend slightly further down, he’d be in with a shot of getting rid of Cha-Cha, maybe for good.

 

“Just make it quick.” Cha-Cha spat. Hazel nodded as he ducked down and grabbed the gun, jumping up and firing a few shots towards Cha-Cha who cursed and dived to the floor, returning fire.

 

“Just throw your gun out and I’ll let you walk out of here, Cha-Cha.” Hazel said. “I don’t want to disrupt the timeline by killing you here.”

 

“Only one of us is dying today, Hazel, and it won’t be me.” Cha-Cha promised as she fired a few more shots towards him, seeing display cases smash and glass rain all over the counters as bullets tore through them, behind her, seats were shredded as Hazel’s gunfire annihalated all in its path.

 

“We can settle this peacefully.” Hazel stated as he fired another shot towards where Cha-Cha’s voice was coming from. “Or at the very least, we don’t need guns. Let’s just _talk.”_ Hazel pleaded as Cha-Cha fired another shot, missing him by inches.

 

“What do you suggest we do? Coffee and donuts as we talk it out?” Cha-Cha spat at him.

 

“We don’t need to kill each other. Let’s just put the guns down and talk, alright?” Hazel asked, throwing his gun across the room so Cha-Cha could see he was serious. “Let’s just talk.”

 

“Alright.” Cha-Cha said, standing up. “Talk. Why shouldn’t I kill you already?”

 

“Because why do you need too? The Commission is using you, Cha-Cha. Just be like me. Free of all of that. You could do it, you know? Just set up shop somewhere else, avoid the Commission, live your life.”

 

“You’re a traitor, Hazel, you had a good gig with the Commission, good pay, a good retirement plan and you threw it all away for nothing. You say the Apocalypse is over? I’m here to make sure it happens. You can’t stop it Hazel, you only have two options, die in this roadside diner and be forgotten, or come back with me, work for the Commission again and help us protect the timeline. I’m sure they’ll even protect your whore if you asked.” Cha-Cha said.

 

“I wish you hadn’t called her that.” Hazel told Cha-Cha. “Now I won’t let you leave.”

 

“It’s funny you think you have a choice.” Cha-Cha said, pulling her gun out from behind her back and clicking the trigger. Empty.

 

“Looks like you’re all out of bullets.” Hazel told her as Cha-Cha bolted for the door. She knew it’d be close, but his sheer bulk would likely give Hazel the victory in hand to hand. She needed to regroup and reload before she took him out, but the element of surprise would be gone now. She’d really need to plan her next step carefully. “I’ll be seeing you, Cha-Cha.” Hazel bade her farewell as she fled, walking over and picking up his own gun off the floor. Empty as well.

 

“Hazel?” Came Agnes’ voice from the backroom, walking in with more supplies and seeing the destruction of the diner. “What happened?”

 

“We’re not as safe as I thought we would be.” Hazel admitted. “I might need to take a few days to go sort out some issues, to make sure my past stays in the past.”

 

/

 

“So, children, what’s going on?” Pogo asked Diego, Luther and Allison, looking between them all.

 

“Well, Pogo you see-” Luther began as Five and Vanya reappeared on top of Pogo, all three crashing to the floor in a heap.

 

“Master Five? Miss Vanya? What are you doing?” Pogo insisted as he untangled himself and stood back up. “Tell me at once what is going on with you children!”

 

“You see, God, how do I explain this?” Allison asked.

 

“Just tell him the truth. Once he agrees to keep quiet about it.” Vanya told them.

 

“Are you sure? I’m dubious trusting him.” Five said as Pogo looked offended.

 

“Master Five!” Pogo protested.

 

“I still feel such rage towards him, I’m sorry, I don’t think I can be in here, but tell him, please.” Vanya pleaded as she fled out of the door.

 

“As I’m probably best to explain it, and as I may need Allison’s powers to help, Diego would you mind?” Five asked, indicating to follow Vanya out of the room, Diego nodded his head and rushed off after his sister, hoping to cheer her up.

 

“What is going on? I insist you tell me, children.” Pogo said, flabbergasted at all of their recent distance. Usually they always came to him for advice whenever their father was too busy. What had happened?

 

“First, Pogo, we need to know, will you relay what we tell you to Dad?” Luther asked before either of the others could get a word out.

 

“I would consider it if I felt it was something he needed to hear. I know he can be a difficult man, Master Luther, but your father is a good man.”

 

“He’s _anything_ but a _good_ man.” Five said, eyes lively with anger as he spoke. “Our dear old dad is a monster, Pogo. Even you could admit that.”

 

“I’m afraid we’ll have to agree to disagree there, Master Five.” Pogo said, head bowing. “Your father made me what I am today, and for that he will have my eternal loyalty.”

 

“If he has your loyalty, Pogo, I’m not sure we can tell you what’s happening.” Five shot back.

 

“How about if I….edit it, so Pogo can know but can’t tell Dad?” Allison asked, Pogo looking at her in shock and horror as Five and Luther mulled it over before nodding.

 

“Please, Miss Allison, I’ll keep it quiet.” Pogo said as Allison turned towards him, nodding to Luther who picked up Pogo and held him tight to him, preventing him from leaving.

 

“I’m sorry, Pogo, but we can’t take that chance. _I heard a rumour that you only would discuss anything you learn from this conversation with the seven kids.”_ Allison said as Pogo’s eyes clouded over, Luther letting him go as Allison finished.

 

“So, to sum it up very loosely, Pogo.” Five started. “All seven of us are from the future, 2019 to be exact.”

 

“Care to run that by me one more time?” Pogo asked, wondering what had happened to the poor child to make him believe such things.

 

“The end of the world is coming, and we’re here to make sure it never arrives.” Five told him. “In the original timeline, I vanished the other day, trying to outsmart Dad and prove I could do temporal jumps. I ended up in 2019, to find the world in flames. After 30 years trapped with no way home, I was hired to work for an agency that can time travel and I eventually made it back to 2019, but before the apocalypse, to try and stop it. Despite efforts, we failed, and in the seconds before all life on Earth, including us, was destroyed, I jumped the seven of us back here, to last week. To try and start over and stop it this time.”

 

“So, you’re all...from the future?” Pogo asked.

 

“Yes, what’s so hard to understand about that?” Five asked.

 

“Are we still sure it wise to tell Pogo about this?” Luther asked. “I’m just saying, what help will he be to us?”

 

“Well I could be a confidant.” Pogo suggested. “I don’t know what I did in the future to upset Miss Vanya, or to make the rest of you so...distrustful of me, but I would like the chance to rectify it.”

 

“The problem for me and most of us was you think the sun shines out of dad’s every pore.” Five said. “Hate to tell you, but the old man is a sadistic bastard.”

 

“Young man, that is no way to talk about your father!” Pogo protested.

 

“As for Vanya?” Five asked, ignoring him. “We all know what you and dear old dad did to her when she was four. She knows she’s just as special as we are.” Five said as Pogo’s face turned ashen.

 

“Vanya knows?” Pogo asked, voice hoarse.

 

“Yeah, believe me, you’re lucky to still be breathing, the rage she’s held for you and dad over what you did. But we’re going to make sure she can control her powers and isn’t affected by dad’s oppression any longer.”

 

“You don’t understand, Miss Vanya needs to keep those powers subdued for her own good as well as others!” Pogo protested.

 

“Oh, I think we do understand. We understand dad wanted to keep her down, since he was scared of her, but she’s stronger than he gives her credit, and with our help, she’ll master her powers and thrive with them.” Allison told him.

 

“I hope you children know what you’re doing, for the sake of everyone here, including Miss Vanya.” Pogo said, as he retreated from the room, deep in thought. He had to figure out some way around the rumour, to warn Master Hargreeves of what the children had done, but how?


	7. Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Siblings bond as Hazel decides what to do next

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moley Captain Marvel was amazing! Can’t recommend it enough. Back to Umbrella Academy however and this chapter will give some focus on a precious angel I haven’t focused on as much as I’d like, yep, it’s centered around KLAUS!

“So, are we going to talk about this?” Luther asked Allison and Five. He wasn’t too comfortable with letting Pogo know, even if he did love the old chimp like a second father.

 

“What’s there to discuss? We need some advice sometimes, and I don’t trust dad, do you?” Five asked as Luther shook his head. “I didn’t think so. With Pogo, at least we can get advice, lay out our plans and see if there’s anything we could do better, with a more objective view than our own. Dad would try force us to obey his will, Pogo at least would understand that we’re our own people and will take on his advice but not blindly obey.”

 

“I agree with Five.” Allison said. “We have some plans, but we’re not ready to implement them all, and if we change the timeline too much too soon, we’ll lose the one hand we can have on the wheel. This way, we control what Pogo knows and control how he reacts. I hated using my power on Pogo out of everyone, but at least I’ve kept the secret safe from dad.” Allison told Luther who nodded.

 

“I guess so, I just hate that we’re doing this. To put all of this pressure on Pogo, especially when we’ve been just distant with him since we came back. I mean, I watched him die only hours before we came back, we’d had no time to mourn before we were back.”

 

“This time that won’t happen.” Five told him. “There’s no need to mourn Pogo not that he’s alive and well. This time he’ll stay that way.”

 

“What do we do about Vanya though?” Allison asked. “She still hasn’t forgiven Pogo, and I expect she won’t for some time. How do we include Pogo without shutting her out?”

 

“That...I don’t know yet.” Five admitted.

 

/

 

There was a knock on the door and a muffled voice replied.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“It’s me, Klaus, let me in.” Ben said as he stood by the door.

 

“Get lost, Ben.” Klaus said through the door.

 

“Look, you either let me in or I’m coming in anyway.” Ben told him.

 

“Fuck off!” Klaus yelled as Ben shook his head.

 

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Ben called as he unleashed the tentacles and they slammed into the door, forcing it open hard enough that it slammed into the wall on the other side of the room, startling Klaus who narrowly avoided being hit by it.

 

“What the fuck was that for?!” Klaus shouted.

 

“I did tell you to let me in.” Ben smirked. “Now come on, we’re going for a walk.”

 

“No, I’m good here, thanks.” Klaus said, turning away from his brother.

 

“Listen, Klaus. I know you hate this place even more than I do. Let’s get out of here for a few hours, just the two of us, and let’s talk. I’ve missed being alive, and I know you miss having the freedom to just go wherever, whenever. Let’s get out for a bit.”

 

“And go where, Ben? Do what? We’re both kids now and dear old daddy would notice we were gone, after all, we’r not Vanya, he’d notice, especially if you vanished. I’m just number Four, but you’ve got use to him.”

 

“Don’t say that, Klaus. Fuck the numbers. We’re brothers and we’ll do what brothers do, spend time together and bond.”

 

“I’m not sure we’ll get any closer if we try.” Klaus said, a small laugh escaping him. “Pretty hard to get closer when the only person you could speak too was me and I was only really noticed by you.”

 

“Well I’m not going anywhere until you agree to come with me. Griddy’s?” Ben smiled as Klaus turned to him.

 

“Well I could go for a bite to eat.”

 

“Grab your coat then and meet me around back in five minutes. We’ve got some donuts to eat.”

 

/

 

Hazel turned to the door as he bade farewell to Agnes. He’d be back in a few days, he had to make sure that the Commission left them alone, and the best way to do that would be to ensure Cha-Cha left this time, one way or another.

 

“I’ll be back in a few days, Agnes. I’m sorry about this, but I have to end it. I have to get them to never come after us again.”

 

“How will you do it, Hazel? We could leave again, go anywhere you want.” Agnes pleaded with him.

 

“I’ll be back soon. I’m not sure yet, but they’ll leave us alone, I swear.” Hazel said as he headed out of the door and towards the car, making sure he had his gun on him, before getting in and driving back towards the city. He knew that’d be were Cha-Cha had fled too. He was going to make her leave, whatever it took.

 

/

 

“Vanya? Are you there?” Diego asked, pushing open her bedroom door to see her sniffling, rocking gently on her bed as she hugged her knees.

 

“Go away, Diego.” Vanya told him, continuing to hug her knees and looking away from him.

 

“Not until you let me in, V.” Diego told her, walking into the room and sitting on the bed wqith her, Vanya shuffling to move away from him.

 

“Please, just go away. I want to be alone at the moment.”

 

“Look, I’m sorry about Pogo. None of us knew he was going to clock us like that. Forget about him and talk to me, Vanya.”

 

“What is there to talk about? You, Luther and Allison clearly wanted to speak to him, Klaus and Ben have gone who knows where and Five will likely decide to agree with you three about Pogo. I can’t get over what he did to me, and what he helped Dad and Luther to do. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

 

“No-one’s asking you to be Vanya.” Diego assured her, laying a hand gently on her shoulder, Vanya lifting her head to look at him with red rimmed eyes.

 

“You promise?” She asked, her voice sounding lost yet hopeful.

 

“I w-wouldn’t lie to you.” Diego said, his heart breaking a little at how his sister was acting. “Nobody will make you forgive Pogo. If you want to avoid him, you can do, Vanya. I’ll support you, whatever you choose.”

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to forgive him, I do, Pogo was like a real dad to us when we were kids at first, but I can’t. He helped dad, and I can see why he did, but he kept it from me for years, letting me be mistreated with silence, even after dad died, he didn’t let me know, then he told Luther about the room, letting Luther lock me up instead of trying to help me. I’m sorry for what I did to him, I didn’t want to kill him, really I didn’t, I just wanted to hurt him. But I don’t know if I can forgive him. I really want too, Diego, but I don’t know how.”

 

“I get it, Vanya, I do.” Diego said as he pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her. “I know you’re angry at him, to tell you the truth, so am I, he went along with Luther willingly, we all fought to let you out of the cage, Luther stopped us all.” Diego told her.

 

“Why did he do it, Diego? Why did he go along with it? Didn’t he think? Did he just think I was a monster?” Vanya asked, voice breaking as she did.

 

Diego felt himself breaking more with every whimper and every sob that Vanya let out. Why was Pogo so willing to obey Reginald’s every order? Even when the man was dead, Pogo didn’t seem willing to rationally think for himself.

 

“I don’t know, Vanya. All we can do is make sure he doesn’t do that this time. This time, we’ll sort it out, I swear it, V. We’ll make it all better, for you and for everyone.” Diego promised her.

 

Vanya smiled as he said that. Maybe he could do it all, maybe they could all do better.

 

/

 

Klaus and Ben sat at the counter of Griddy’s, waiting for service, looking at the sign behind the counter that read “Under New Management”

 

“I wasn’t aware they ever changed owners here?” Klaus asked Ben.

 

“Don’t look at me, I’ve been a bit too dead since we last came here to remember.” Ben teased him, as they ordered two coffees and waited.

 

“Look, Klaus, about what you said to me earlier...” Ben started before Klaus cut him off.

 

“No, Ben. I get it. I do. I know everyone’s trying for each others sake, but we need to cut out all of the bullshit. If we got better, not because we thought it was for the good of the planet, but because it was for the good of us as people, we’d be much happier.”

 

“We do want to fix each other for each other though, Klaus.” Ben said. “I’m fixing myself, and part of the reason why I’m able to do that is because I saw you, you improving, fighting your demons and coming out on top of them. Part of why I’m able to cope with all of this, is because I learnt from you, Klaus.” Ben told him.

 

“I’m a mess.” Klaus laughed. “I can’t get high, Dave is still gone, and I don’t know what to do to make myself better. I’ve tried being sober, I just can’t, Ben, the voices, the ghosts, they still haunt my nightmares. They make me wake in terror. I see the mausoleum every night in my sleep. I know if I’m not careful then dad will put me back there one night and I don’t know what I’ll do if he does.” Klaus admitted, breaking down towards the end and putting his head on the counter, Ben patting his shoulder awkwardly and leaning close to him.

 

“Don’t worry Klaus, if he tries it, we’ll make him regret ever being born. He’ll never hurt you, ever again.” Ben promised. “You know how much I hate my powers, but I’ll gladly unleash them to protect you from him.”

 

“Ben...” Klaus whispered, looking up at his brother. He knew how much Ben hated his powers, there was a reason after all that his statue had read “May the darkness within you find peace in the light.” It was Ben’s powers that had led to that day, to the day of his death.


	8. What Ever Happened to Number Six?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How did Ben Hargreeves really die as Hazel makes his move and loyalties are chosen.

It was a cold and wet day the day that it happened. The day Ben died, the first time around. It was a standard mission, they were 16 and most of them were casting their eyes to when they’d leave the Academy, not focusing on the past as some were.

 

It was another bank robbery, like the mission that had introduced them to the world, and this time, Luther planned to hit it almost the exact same. Ben would have to pull double duty though to cover for Five being missing, but it’d be nothing Number Six couldn’t handle, he was sure.

 

“Ben, get in there and show them how we do it. You’re pulling double duty, more of your powers than usual.” Luther told him.

 

“Alright.” Ben said, shaking his head. Luther knew he hated doing this, had always hated this, but he was the leader. Even if Five was gone, Diego and Klaus were heading towards the door, neither would stay beyond 18, Allison was already attending auditions in secret for a life in showbusiness, she’d be gone in a matter of months, and then it’d just be Ben and Luther. Vanya, powerless as she was, was also already looking at leaving, raising funds for herself with her violin playing, which Ben encouraged whenever they were alone together.

 

“I’ll hit the front, Allison you rumour them to turn on each other, just like the first time. Klaus, keep watch, Diego, if it moves, pin it down, Ben, you obviously know what to do.”

 

“Why am I always on watch?” Klaus whined.

 

“Because speaking to the dead doesn’t help all that much?” Diego sniggered as the rest of them got into position.

 

“Go, go go!” Luther called as the Academy sprung into action.

 

Luther and Diego climbed up to the rafters of the bank and surveyed the scene, Allison sneaking in alongside Ben, avoiding being seen whilst Klaus hung around in the shadows of the corner, trying his best to blend in.

 

“ _I heard a rumour that you shot your friends and then dropped your gun.”_ Allison said as she approached the first robber.

 

The robber shook his head before opening fire, killing two of his comrades before dropping his gun, Diego and Luther dropping down on top of him, knocking him out.

 

“Number Six, go for it.” Luther said nodding towards him, Ben sticking his arms out and unleashing the Horror, grabbing more of the robbers and smashing them into walls and ripping them apart as they screamed. Pulling them back in, Ben forced himself to hold back a volley of vomit in his throat.

 

“Good work, Number Six.” Diego smiled at him, Ben nodding back weakly.

 

“Number Three, get Four and keep watch. Six will head to the Vault, Two and I will provide backup for him, understood?” Luther asked.

 

“Understood Number One.” The others chorused back at him as they headed off. 

 

Ben headed off, feeling worse than usual when he let the Horror go, heading down with Diego and Luther towards the Vault. Luther nodded to him and Diego flashed him a thumbs up as he headed off further towards it alone, letting the tentacles free and feeling the revulsion wash over him as he did.

 

“Alright, let’s do this.” Ben told them, feeling the darkness within his body and mind trying to consume him as the tentacles assaulted the robbers, ripping through them like paper mache. As the last of them died off, Ben felt something inside him snap and the tentacles whipped around in a frenzy, Ben screaming at them.

 

“STOP! NO!” Luther and Diego froze, blood curdling as they heard the screams, and rushed towards the Vault.

 

“BEN!” Luther yelled as they reached it, ripping the vault door off and heading through the door towards where Ben was. Stepping past the bodies of the thieves and the pools of blood, the two of them looked at the corner where there was a body lying on the ground. Heading to it they saw Ben, peaceful looking, eyes closed, the tentacles had vanished but his chest didn’t rise and fall with every breath he took. 

 

Diego bent down and put his fingers to Ben’s neck as Luther looked on in horror, shaking his head after a minute or two and turning to Luther, eyes filled with tears.

 

“He’s g-gone.” Diego muttered, rage and grief filling him. “B-BECAUSE OF YOUR O-ORDERS, LUTHER! Y-YOU TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD TO USE HIS POWERS M-MORE! YOU KNEW HE HATED THOSE POWERS AND WHAT THEY COULD DO! S-SOME NUMBER ONE YOU ARE!” Diego screamed at him, charging at his brother and using his fists to do the talking, Luther taking the blows with a resigned look as shock overtook him, unable to do anything to process what had happened, he just let Diego beat on him, even as he felt blood dripping from his nose, he just let Diego hit him until Diego fell to the floor in exhaustation. 

 

Luther crouched down and put a hand on Diego’s shoulder who tried to hit him away, wiping his blood with his other hand.

 

“I’m sorry, Diego.” Luther told him. “I’m sorry.” Luther repeated, feeling himself beginning to cry. Allison and Klaus came to join them and seeing Ben, they too feel back in shock. Klaus went over to Ben’s body and bent down over him, feeling himself crying on his brother, Allison helped Luther and Diego to their feet, wrapping her arms around both of them as the three of them shared in their grief together.

 

Allison left two weeks later. Diego made it another month. Klaus hung around for another year, and Luther was all alone.

 

/

 

Hazel headed back into the city, and headed to the first motel he came across.

 

“Excuse me, have you seen a woman in a suit pull in for a room?” Hazel asked.

 

“Who’s asking?” The attendant said, not raising their eyes from the magazine they were reading.

 

“FBI. She’s a suspect in a homicide case. Tell me if she’s here and we’ll take her in and be on our way.” Hazel told them with an air of authority. 

 

“She’s not here.” The attendant said quickly. “Sorry, nobody with that description has shown up here. I’ll let you know if she does though?” They asked, Hazel jotting down a number for them to call.

 

“Just call us if you see her, she’s a danger and shouldn’t be approached. We’ll handle her.” Hazel said before walking out and climbing back into his car. Time to head to the next motel and search again. He’d find Cha-Cha before long, he just knew it. If not, he’d head to the Hargreeves place and stake it out. He was certain Cha-Cha would end up there before long, probably wanting revenge on them for her future self fighting with them.

 

/

 

“Klaus?” Ben asked, looking at his brother who was still tearing up in front of him.

 

“I’m alright.” Klaus said, shaking his head. “Hey, what’s with the service here?” He joked as Ben looked around.

 

“It might be that we’re both teens and they’d rather serve adults first?” Ben teased.

 

“Either way, it definitely needs to improve.” Klaus joked back as the waitress came over towards them.

 

“What can I get you two boys?” She asked.

 

“Your finest donuts, six of each.” Ben grinned as Klaus looked at him. “Hey, if you can’t get drunk, comfort eating is the next best thing to cheer you up.”

 

“Well I’d like to disagree with you, brother, but I haven’t really tried food as a stress relief yet so what the hell, let’s give it a shot.” Klaus smiled back. 

 

With that smile Ben knew it’d be hard, it would definitely take time, but he and Klaus would be alright. He just knew it. After they’d finished eating, Ben looked at the clock and saw it was nearly time for their evening dinner, if they weren’t there, Reginald would be….displeased.

 

“Shit, we better go.” Ben said, gesturing to the clock. Klaus nodded his head and the two of them slipped away back towards the Academy.

 

/

 

He’d considered his next move ever since the children had told him about their predicament. What could he do to get around all of it? It was definitely going to be an issue for him. Then it hit him, in a flash of brilliance. Allison had forbade him from telling Reginald about them, but she hadn’t stopped him from informing him with other means.

 

Writing out a note for Reginald, Pogo left it on his desk and slipped out of the room, leaving behind a note reading “The children know everything. Confront them.”

 

‘Hopefully Master Hargreeves can straighten them out, help them with their issues and make everything go back to the way it should be.’ Pogo thought as he headed off. 


	9. Mausoleum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reginald makes his move and Klaus ends up in a waking nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I see people were shocked by Pogo. Pogo is like McGonagall in most HP fanfics I feel, he sees that Hargreeves is doing these actions for the right reasons, even if they’re the wrong actions, so he believes Reginald deserves a chance to try and help the kids. He honestly believes Reginald would do what he’s doing for their own good, and that any damage is worth it in the long game. It makes him a dick, sure, but a dick who wants to do good. Will Pogo always stick this loyal to Reggie? Well you’ll see.

Reginald looked over the note that Pogo had left on his desk again and again, unable to believe his eyes. How did the children know? What did they know exactly? Did they know about Number Seven and her powers? Considering the amount of time they all spent together recently, Reginald assumed they must. But how did they learn it? What could he do to fix it? Perhaps he could see about Number Three using her powers to get it all under control, if she’d obey him that was. What else could they know of? His plans for them to save the world? He didn’t see how they could know that. There was also the matter of Pogo. Why hadn’t he written down exactly what he knew? How could he confront the children without implicating the chimp they’d come to see as a mentor figure and a second father?

 

Then it struck him. There was a way he could force the children into revealing Seven’s powers, then he could confront them, whilst maintaining secrecy for Pogo. He just had to plan very carefully. It’d take a day or two before he could move to see exactly what they knew and how he could incorporate it into his own plans.

 

Once it was done however, he’d have to be very careful, if the children did know everything, as Pogo put it, they’d know exactly what he’d done and he’d have to be very careful to maintain order in the house, seven super powered kids would still easily be able to overpower him if they so wished, he’d have to talk fast when they learnt what he did.

 

But what to say?

 

/

 

Klaus and Ben walked back into the house, slipping into the back entrance to see the rest of the kids sat around the kitchen table, Five and Luther talking in hushed whispers, Allison doing her best to avoid Vanya’s eye, as Vanya and Diego were deep in conversation.

 

“Hey guys.” Ben waved as the rest of them turned to them.

 

“Where did you two slip off too?” Five asked.

 

“Griddy’s.” Klaus smiled. “We would have brought some back but I was really hungry.” Klaus mock whined at them. Luther and Five had scowls on their faces whilst the rest laughed at Klaus being Klaus.

 

“Well I’m sure we can all slip off later for some late night donuts like we used too.” Allison said as the rest nodded.

 

“I’m sure we could make time for that.” Luther said.

 

“Lighten up a little, Luther.” Diego said. “We can just enjoy beings kids again once in a while.”

 

“We still don’t know what’s going to happen at all. We do need to be on our guard.” Luther told them as Five nodded.

 

“Surprisingly he has a point. The Commission is still out there, one day they’ll be back for us. Even things like Griddy’s we need to be on alert at. If we’re going, make sure you have your knives on you, Diego.”

 

“I always do.” Diego smirked. “Don’t worry, Five. We’re ready for anything, aren’t we guys?”

 

“I’ll be ready.” Vanya promised.

 

“Yeah we’re prepared, always, for anything now.” Allison promised.

 

“Fine, we’ll go.” Luther said. “But like Five said, we keep an eye out.”

 

“Who are we going to run into who can pose a threat to us here anyway?” Klaus asked. “The Commission won’t know we’re here, will they?”

 

“Hard to tell. I doubt they do, yet, but they likely will learn before too long.” Five said. “It’s important that we keep on our guard at all times.”

 

“Well we’re always going to be on guard now, Five, don’t worry about it.” Ben said.

 

“Just...let’s be careful. I don’t know, but I can’t shake the feeling something bad is about to happen.” Five said.

 

“We’ll be alright.” Vanya assured him before a throat clearing made them turn around, to see Pogo waiting there.

 

“Master Klaus, your father would like to see you in his office immediately.”

 

“Why does dad want him?” Ben asked, the others moving towards Klaus protectively.

 

“He didn’t tell me, Master Ben. Please, Master Klaus, come with me.” Pogo said, offering the young man his hand.

 

“It’s alright guys.” Klaus smiled, turning to Five and whispering “If I’m not back in an hour, I’m in the mausoleum. If I am, bring Luther with you.”

 

Five nodded as the others let Klaus leave the room with Pogo, before turning to Five.

 

“What did he tell you?” Diego asked.

 

“He said if he wasn’t back in an hour, for me and Luther to go get him from the Mausoleum.” Five told them, the rest looking in shock.

 

“If he’s taken him to the Mausoleum I’ll end him.” Ben growled.

 

“Not if I get to him first.” Diego said, Luther looked mutinous, Allison also looked muderous and Vanya was pissed.

 

“I think if he’s done anything to Klaus, we’ll _all_ hurt him.” Vanya said.

 

/

 

“What are you wanting, dear old dad?” Klaus asked as Pogo led him into his fathers office and left Klaus with his father, who was browsing his research papers.

 

“Don’t take that tone with me, Number Four.” Reginald said as he looked up over his papers towards Klaus.

 

“What do you want then?” Klaus asked, crossing his arms.

 

“Straight to the point my boy. Very well. What is going on with you and your siblings? What is it you know?”

 

“Pogo told on us?” Klaus laughed.

 

“So it _is_ true.” Reginald said, eyes wide. “Tell me everything, my boy. What happened? How do you know about your sister? Why aren’t you protecting her?”

 

“What do you mean, not protecting her?” Klaus said, derisively. “You’re the one who tried to fuck her up by surpressing her powers, daddy dearest. We’re making sure she’s alright by teaching her to use her powers.”

 

“I was protecting her and you insolent child!” Reginald roared at him. “Now, tell me what you know!”

 

“How about no?” Klaus smirked as Reginald stood from his chair, marching over to him and grabbing his arm.

 

“I think you need some extra training then.” Reginald said, forcing Klaus from the room, ignoring the look of terror on Klaus’ face.

 

“Please! Don’t to this!” Klaus cried as Reginald marched him to the Mausolem and opened it up, throwing Klaus inside and closing the door.

 

‘It’s ok, Klaus, you can do this. You’re stronger than you know, you can control it.’ Klaus told himself, looking around at the scene of so many of his nightmares. ‘You know you can keep it calm, just ignore them, just close your eyes and think happy thoughts. Think of the others, Luther and his big brutish arms, Diego and his knives, Allison and her acting, Five and his caffeine addiction, Ben and his laughter and Vanya and her hugs.’

 

“Klaus.” A voice said behind him, keeping his eyes closed, Klaus tried to ignore it.

 

“KLAUS!”

 

“KLAUS!”

 

“KLAUUUSSSS!”

 

More voices joined in the crescendo around Klaus, defeaning him and making him cry out, before suddenly the voices disappeared.

 

“Hey, Klaus.” said a new voice, Klaus looking up to see who it was. It couldn’t be, could it?

 

“How are you doing?” A man said in combat uniform, a hole in his chest.

 

“Dave?” Klaus asked, eyes filling with tears.


	10. Confronting Daddy Hargreeves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids confront their father and relationships are tested

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another two updates in a single day as I likely won’t update tomorrow, 9 hour work shift and work the following day means it’ll probably be nearly 48 hours before I update again after this.
> 
> Longest chapter as well so far :)

“Look at you, Klaus, don’t let this beat you.”

 

“It’s easy for you to say, you can go at any time, I’m stuck here with the - WILL YOU SHUT UP!?” Klaus roared at the spirits who had returned and were screaming for his attention, trying to shove Dave aside so that they could air their grievances with Klaus and get his attention.

 

“They just want answers, Klaus, and with someone who can ask the questions and get answers for them, you know they’ll not leave you alone, especially when you’re in a place like this.” Dave told him.

 

“I know that, Dave, what I would like though is a conversation with an old friend in peace.” He snarled as the spirits finally took the hint and backed away from him.

 

“I thought I was more than just an old friend.” Dave teased then grimaced. “Sorry, I just realised, when you’re only this age, that’s really weird for me to suggest.”

 

“Well I’m still the same old Klaus you knew in here.” Klaus said, tapping his head. “You were defintely more than just an old friend to me, you are the man I love.” Klaus admitted, tears pricking his eyes again as he remembered that Dave couldn’t stay, no matter what he wanted, Dave would have to go before long.

 

“It’s ok, Klaus.” Dave said, sensing what Klaus was feeling. “I know I can’t stay, it’s why I don’t ask you to try make me corporeal, it’d only hurt us both more. I’ll always be here for you though, in whatever way I can be, you’ll always be the scrawny idiot who woke up by my bedside one night in ‘Nam and stole my heart.” Dave said as Klaus chuckled.

 

“I guess I always will be pretty scrawny, won’t I?”

 

“It’s adorable, don’t worry.” Dave said, before looking down at his hands starting to fade out. “Klaus?” He asked as he vanished entirely, Klaus looking around in a blind panic as he did.

 

“Dave? DAVE?!”

 

“KLAUS!”

 

“KLAUS!!” The other spirits saidm, closing in on Klaus again and screaming in his face, eager to be heard, Klaus closing his eyes and scrunching himself into a ball again, trying once again to block them out.

 

“Dave...Dave….please.” Klaus begged as he began sobbing, trying to do anything to drown out the voices surrounding him. Then he heard it, a noise outside, looking up, he could hear bashing on the door.

 

“In here!” A muffled voice said as the spirits tried to drown it out with their own screams and demands to be heard by Klaus.

 

Klaus closed his eyes again and tucked his head under his knees.

 

“Please go away...please.” Klaus begged the restless spirits, hoping against hope that there was someone on the outside and he hadn’t imagined all of it. “Please...” Klaus cried, tears streaming down his face hot and fast.

 

Suddenly feeling a hand on his shoulder, whipping his head up, he felt himself being pulled in all directions, before he squinted in the sunlight, Luther and Five with him, Five’s hand on his shoulder.

 

“He’s dead.” Five said as Klaus choked back a sob and wrapped his arms around him. “I don’t care how you feel about it, Luther, he’s dead for what he’s done.”

 

“I’m not going to argue with you, Five. I’m all for it at the moment.” Luther said.

 

“Do you need us to carry you, Klaus?” Five asked, looking at his brother with a soft expression on his face. Klaus just ducked his head and refused to meet their eyes, Five nodding to his brother, Luther came over and picked Klaus up, as Klaus hugged tightly to Luther’s neck.

 

The three of them walked in steely silence back to the Academy, as they approached the back door, Five nodded to Luther and jumped away, heading to get the others as Luther brought Klaus in.

 

Heading into the kitchen, Klaus looked up from Luther’s shoulder to see the others gathered around waiting for him.

 

“You guys...what are you doing?” Klaus said, wiping snot and tears from his face with his sleeve.

 

“Waiting for you, you idiot.” Diego joked, smiling at him.

 

“We’re here for you, Klaus.” Ben told him.

 

“We always will be.” Vanya smiled.

 

“If you want to head off upstairs for a bath or something, Klaus, we’d get it.” Allison said.

 

Klaus shook his head.

 

“I probably need one but no, I need to know, what are you guys upto? All together, you’re upto something.”

 

“We’re dealing with the old man.” Five said with a mutinous look. “Hurting one of us is hurting all of us. We’re going to deal with him.”

 

“No!” Klaus said, surprising the others.

 

“What do you mean, no?” Ben asked. “He deserves nothing left for what he’s put you through, put all of us through.”

 

“I just mean, I want a bath before anything like that.” Klaus said with a grin.

 

“Well we’ll all be here ready for when you are.” Luther told him. “None of us go alone with dad for now. When we go, all seven of us go together and we sort this out.”

 

The rest nodded. They would be ready to go in a moment if needed. Nobody, not even their dad, hurt their siblings. Not anymore.

 

/

 

Hazel watched as Cha-Cha’s car rolled into the motel across the street, and she got out and headed towards the checkout, heading over, trying to keep a low profile, he waited until she took her keys and headed to her room before walking over to her car and slipping a tracking device under it, quickly walking away before she could notice him. Now he had a way to keep tabs on her, he’d be able to head her off if she tried anything else. Considering she hadn’t come after him again, he doubted that he was her only goal, or even if he was part of her assignment at all. Whatever else she was here to do, he knew he had to stop it, or Agnes wouldn’t be able to live in peace. If he had to strand Cha-Cha in the jurassic era without a briefcase, he would, if that’s what it took to keep Agnes safe from his former partner’s wrath.

 

Cha-Cha looked down on the street from her motel window as she saw Hazel slink away from her car. It was obvious what he’d done, textbook even. She’d let him keep his tracker for a day or two evenm try to throw him off the scent of what she was actually doing. Once she’d had her fun though, she’d lure him into a trap and finish him off, stop him getting in her way. Once she’d dealt with him, it would be time for the real work to begin. Hearing a tube, she headed over to see what new orders the Handler had sent to her, seeing only a few words written.

 

“Find Vanya Hargreeves.”

 

/

 

 

“Do you want to talk about it, Klaus?” Vanya asked as she met Klaus outside of his bedroom.

 

“There’s nothing to talk about, V.” Klaus said. “Dad’s an ass, always has been, always will be, at least it wasn’t an all nighter like it used to be.” Klaus joked as Vanya frowned.

 

“Still, Klaus, there’s nothing wrong with being scared. I should know that more than anyone.” Vanya said. “I’ll always be here though if you need a shoulder to cry on or someone to rage to.”

 

“Look, what do you want, Vanya?” Klaus asked, wanting to shake her off so he could go cry for a bit about Dave disappearing and not coming back to speak to him since.

 

“I just want to know you’re ok, Klaus. I just want my happy and fun brother to smile.” Vanya said with a frown at his tone. “Everyone else is down in the lounge waiting for you to go confront Dad. Do you want me to wait up here with you?”

 

“Why? What would that do? Just leave me alone, Vanya.” Klaus all but pleaded, his eyes wild as he thought about what his dad had just done to him again.

 

“No.” Vanya said, closing the gap between them. “I’m sorry, but no. You need someone with you, Klaus, and if it isn’t going to be any of the others, it’ll be me and you’ll just deal with that. Now go get dressed, I’ll be waiting with you until you do.” She told him in a tone that brooked no argument. She knew, even better than Klaus, what isolation could do to you. She wouldn’t let him go through that, not if she could help it. Never again would he be isolated again.

 

Klaus just sighed and headed off to get dressed, knowing that no matter what he tried, Vanya wasn’t going to let him go, not that he wouldn’t try mind you. If he had to be brutal to get Vanya to let him wallow in his self pity, he’d be brutal.

 

“Look, V.” Klaus started as he pulled on a top and grabbed some trousers. “Why do you even bother? We were shit to you before, and we’ve all got our own baggage to work through as well. Why don’t you find somewhere for yourself to try work through your issues and I’ll work through mine, hmm?”

 

“Because that’s not what a family does, Klaus.” Vanya said, hurt that he’d even want to get rid of her.

 

“Apart from the past few weeks, when have we ever acted like a family?” Klaus laughed. “We can’t stand one another most of the time, most of our lives has been dictated entirely by abuse and resentment, why would this time be any different?”

 

“Because this time we’re here for each other.” Vanya protested. “I’ve got you, Klaus, and I always will.” Vanya told him.

 

“Well I don’t want you too, Vanya! Look, we’re all doing this to protect the world, you know? Not for you. But for everyone else.” Klaus spat at her. God, why wouldn’t Vanya leave him alone? He wanted to be depressed, he wanted Dave, nobody else. If he couldn’t have Dave, he just wanted to be left alone. Vanya seemed to finally take the hint as she fled the room crying, Klaus immediately regretted it as he saw he go, and began to call out for her, before hearing a door slam.

 

‘I’ll speak to her later.’ Klaus reasoned, psyching himself up for dealing with their father.

 

/

 

Allison and Luther sat huddled around the table as Diego, Ben and Five turned to each other.

 

“So, what’s the plan of attack to deal with dad?” Diego asked.

 

“We go in there, fuck him up, maybe break some body parts and tell him to fuck off, we’re not his lab rats and if he tries to do anything like that again, we’ll kill him.” Five says darkly as Ben nods his head.

 

“I’m with Five on this. We make sure he never messes with any of us again, if he tries it, we end him.”

 

“Wait, I’m pissed too, sure, but we can’t kill him.” Luther said, chiming in.

 

“Why can’t we?” Diego asked. “The man made all of our lives hell the first time around and he’ll do it again if given the chance. I’m with the others. Make him learn he can’t play God with us anymore, and if he tries it, we put him down for good.”

 

“I have to agree with Luther here.” Allison said.

 

“Of course you do.” Diego said with an eye roll.

 

“I’m not saying I could ever forgive dad for what he’s done to Klaus, and to all of us over the last timeline and this one, but we can’t go around just killing, he’s our dad for christ’s sake. What we could do though, is teach him not to mess with us. We scare him and I’ll use my powers to keep him in check, make sure he doesn’t ever try even consider messing with any of us like that, he won’t hurt any of us again, I promise it.” Allison vowed.

 

“We can try your way I guess, but if it doesn’t work, I’m taking him down.” Five growled as Diego and Ben agreed.

 

“Not if I get to him first.” Both of them said, looking at each other in surprise.

 

“Either way, we don’t do anything to him now. We sort this out and we try make dad see the error of his ways.” Luther said.

 

“Fine. For now.” Five said.

 

“Shall we go do it?” Klaus asked, walking through the door, the group stood and walked out of the kitchen together, heading towards Reginald’s office.

 

“Where’s Vanya?” Allison asked, looking around and not seeing their sister anywhere.

 

“We...had an argument.” Klaus admitted. “She ran off, but I’m sure she’s going to meet us at dad’s office door.” He told the others who frowned at him.

 

“You didn’t anger her, did you?” Five asked.

 

“No! No, I may have made her run away from me crying….” Klaus drifted off as Ben hit him in the back of the head.

 

“Ow! What was that for!” Klaus whined.

 

“She’s our sister you dickhead!” Ben said. “Why would you upset her like that? We’re a united team, remember? Why do you think we’re off to go kick dad’s ass? Because he hurt you, you moron! Why would you hurt Vanya?”

 

“I wasn’t thinking, ok?” Klaus asked. “I was feeling down and I lashed out at her, and I’m sorry. Look, I’ll apologise to her when I see her up there, ok?” Klaus asked, Ben nodded, that’d be the bare mimimum that Klaus would do.

 

When the siblings got to Reginald’s office, they saw Vanya waiting there already, eyes rimmed red from crying again.

 

“Van-” Klaus started before Vanya raised a hand to silence him.

 

“No, Klaus. Leave me alone.” Vanya told him with a harsh tone, Klaus biting down his tongue before replying.

 

“Ok.” He said quietly, slinking away from her as Luther knocked on the office door.

 

“Enter!” Hargreeves called. Luther marching in saw him smile, Then frown when the other six siblings marched in behind him.

 

“Number Four? How are you here? What’s going on here?” Hargreeves demanded.

 

“Well, you see, dearest father, you, are in the simplest terms, a fucking monster.” Five smiled sweetly as he spat venemous words at Hargreeves who reeled backwards.

 

“How dare you Number Five!” He shouted. “That is not the tone you take with your father.”

 

“Well act like a father then instead of being an abusive piece of shit.” Ben snarled at him.

 

“Number Six? Number One, deal with this.” Hargreeves demanded, Luther looking uncomfortable.

 

“Number One?” Hargreeves asked, eyes wide at his orders not being immediately followed by Luther. He’d always been the one that Hargreeves could trust to do as he said straight away.

 

“I’m sorry, Dad. You’ve treated us like shit for years and that stops, now. No more special training. No more trying to pit us against each other or isolate us. No more trying to surpress Vanya’s powers.” Luther told him.

 

“So you do know about Number Seven.” Hargreeves said. “How did you find out?”

 

“Well that’s not for you to know, we don’t trust you.” Five told him.

 

“Although, I do understand why you did what you did, dad.” Vanya told him. “I can’t forgive you. Please. Don’t try it ever again. I want to learn to control my powers, to be a part of the Academy like my siblings. Don’t try take that from me.”

 

“You’ll leave us all alone, you want to be involved with us, start acting like an actual father.” Diego warned him, Ben and Klaus nodding along.

 

“That’s enough, I’ve had enough of this petulant behaviour from the lot of you. I’m definitely going to put a stop to whatever this is, whatever you all think you know.”

 

“What do you mean, what we think we know?” Ben asked.

 

“Pogo knows who to be loyal too.” Hargreeves said simply, the kids looking shocked. They had believed they could trust Pogo, how had he managed to tell Hargreeves anyway? Did Allison’s powers not effect him?

 

“Look, will you back off or not?” Five asked, his hands glowing as he prepared to jump.

 

“You are children, you will do as you’re told.” Hargreeves told them again.

 

Before Five could jump at him, Allison stepped forward.

 

“ _I heard a rumour that you forgot everything you’ve learnt about us in the past few days and decided that the special training was pointless and you’d never do it again. I also heard a rumour that you were fine with Vanya having powers and let her train with us.”_

 

Stepping back as Reginald’s eyes clouded, Allison looked to her siblings, seeing most of them looking at her with a smile and a sense of pride all except two. Luther looked in shock and Vanya, Vanya looked angry.

 

Allison’s face fell as she saw Vanya rush from the room, slamming the door behind her as she fled, and her mind went back to the cabin in the last timeline, where Vanya had cut her throat and realised where Vanya had gone too her in own mind as well. She’d brought back all those memories for Vanya and she felt disgusted with herself. Promising to go talk to her sister, she rushed after her, only to find the back door of the mansion wide open, running out of it after Vanya, she headed into the street to find Vanya was gone.

 

/

 

“You’re ordinary, and a useless idiot who can’t do anything right, can you?!” A man’s voice yelled as his words cut through his son, a son who he had abused all of the young boy’s life. Remembering the last time someone had called him ordinary and laughed at the boy’s supposed ordinary life, he felt the red mist descend, and grabbing the nearest object he could, the boy smashed the object into his father’s head, watching the blood run down his father’s face and his father’s eyes go cold and lifeless.

 

“How’s that for ordinary, dad?” Harold Jenkins spat at the corpse.


	11. Running

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siblings discuss some truths as enemies near and far close in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for a later update than planned, had lost the will to write for a few days and that was coupled with a couple of minor health issues, but all those are under the bridge now so anyhoops on we go! I also did a thing and after spending £60 on a photo to meet Tom and Emmy, I’ve definitely not spent an additional £70 to buy an individual photo with each on the day absolutely not. Why can’t the others do cons here? I mean, I’d be surprised if Ellen or Aidan did, or did cons anywhere tbh, but Justin and Robert and maybe David I could see doing them sometime.

Vanya ran through the streets, not knowing where her feet were taking her, just determined to get away, as far away as she could from the cabin. All she could see was Allison, determined to use her powers on her, Allison on the floor, blood gushing as she choked on it, clutching at her throat, and Leonard pulling her through the door, yelling at her to leave.

 

As she ran she thought she could hear voices calling her, but she kept running, determined to do her utmost to get away from whoever was chasing her. Was it Allison? Leonard? Her father? Luther? She couldn’t tell, but she wanted to be far away from whoever it was hunting her down.

 

‘You’re ordinary, Vanya. Ordinary.’

 

‘I heard a rumour that you thought you were just ordinary.’

 

‘You need powers to go on a mission, Number Seven.’

 

“SHUT UP!” Vanya roared at the voices in her head, hearing a street light nearby exploding, sparks flying as the metal frame curved forwards and crashed into the street, making passing bytstanders recoil and run in terror at the noise and the destruction of the street lamp.

 

Vanya turned and kept running as fast and as far as she could away from the Academy, away from whoever was chasing her, until she found herself lost and alone.

 

“Hello?” Vanya called out, seeing herself on an empty street with no-one in sight. “Hello?”

 

/

 

 

“What do you mean, you lost her?” Five asked, feeling utter despair at the depths of idiocy his siblings could reach.

 

“I went after her, I saw how dealing with Dad upset her, I wanted to talk to her, see if we could move past all of this, let her know I’d never do anything like that to her ever again, but before I could do anything she was gone, I tried catching her up but she was too fast.” Allison told him sadly. She wanted to put this all behind her with Vanya, before they came back, they’d started getting a bit better together. She thought they were getting closer, before the cabin, and she had hoped they could repair that again even afterwards.

 

“Why didn’t you keep looking for her?” Five demanded.

 

“I didn’t know where to look, it’s why I came back for you all, so we could look together.” Allison protested.

 

“It was the best call.” Luther told her gently, as Five glared. Allison was right, of course, but he wouldn’t admit that right now.

 

“Look, we need to find Vanya and fast.” Klaus said. “Where would she go?”

 

“I don’t know.” Diego said. “Does anyone know if there is anywhere she’d like to go when she was younger, or where she’d go after she moved out?”

 

“I can only think of the theatre, where she trained and played.” Allison said.

 

“Why don’t you and Luther check the theatre, Five can hop around other places, me and Klaus will look around the nearby area, and Diego, you stay here, just in case she comes back?” Ben suggested.

 

“Why do I have to stay back?” Diego challenged him, eyeing Ben up.

 

“Well, why don’t you go with Klaus and I’ll stay back?” Ben offered.

 

“It doesn’t really matter, either way.” Five shook his head. “Why don’t you both stay here and I’ll take Klaus with me?”

 

“Why me?” Klaus asked.

 

“Because, you idiot, you’re the one who needs to apologise to Vanya the most, and unless she’s at the theatre, I’m more likely to find her before she comes back here than anyone else is.”

 

“Fine.” Klaus huffed. “I’ll go with you, Five. Let’s go bring V back.”

 

“What about the cabin? Maybe she’d go back to the scene of the crime as it were.” Diego suggested.

 

“I’ll check there first, if she’s not there, I’ll head around to places I know she frequented in the future, see if she’s there. If she’s not, then we’ll just keep looking.”

 

“What do we do when we find her?” Luther asked, backing up as the rest focused on him. “I’m just saying, if she’s, you know, like she was in the future, what do we do?”

 

“She won’t be like that.” Allison said as Luther stared her down.

 

“I’m serious, Allison. What if she’s let go?”

 

“If she’s like that, leave her to me.” Five said. “I’ll jump her away somewhere for her to calm down.”

 

“We can’t just leave it to you though, Five.” Diego said.

 

“I’m the only one who might be able to calm her down if she’s like that. Allison, Klaus and Luther will all probably make it worse. Diego, you or Ben might help but it’d be easier with just me and her jumping.”

 

“You don’t know that..” Klaus said. “I can apologise to her, help her see she’s not alone in all of this.”

 

“Look, Klaus, I don’t want any of you getting hurt or hurting her more. If Vanya’s alright, as I assume she will be, then fine, speak to her, but if she’s letting her powers control her in her anger again, just let me help her.” Five told him. “I’ll be more of a help to her than you guys will be and you know it, just trust me with this, alright? It’ll be fine.”

 

The others nodded along, Five did have a point, before heading their seperate ways. Five and Klaus jumped for Harold’s cabin, Allison and Luther headed to the Icarus theatre whilst Ben and Diego decided to split, both heading a few blocks out to look for her before heading back to the Academy to wait, to see if she returned.

 

/

 

Cha-Cha drove onto the road and saw a lone figure up ahead, sitting on the sidewalk and crying into their arms. Pulling up alongside them, Cha-Cha rolled down her window and looked the young girl over.

 

“Hello sweetie, what’s your name?” Cha-Cha asked her.

 

“I’m V-Vanya.” The young woman sniffled as internally Cha-Cha smirked. Mark made.

 

“What’s the matter, Vanya?” Cha-Cha asked her, faking concern whilst internally cheering. “Do you need to call somebody?”

 

“I’ll be fine.” Vanya said, smiling slightly at the kindness of this stranger. “Thank you for the offer.”

 

“Well how about this.” Cha-Cha said. “I’ll wait with you for a bit, maybe give you somebody to talk too?”

 

Vanya frowned as she looked down at her arms again.

 

“I’m not worth talking too.” Vanya thought to herself.

 

“I’m sure that’s not true at all, I’ll be glad to listen to you.” Cha-Cha said, Vanya looking in shock. Had she said that aloud?

 

“Really?” Vanya asked, voice filling with hope.

 

“Gladly.” Cha-Cha smiled, turning off the engine and climbing out of the car. “Are you sure you don’t want me to call anybody for you?”

 

“No thank you.” Vanya smiled at her. Maybe it’d be good to talk to somebody other than her siblings about a few of her problems, she’d have to dress them up so she didn’t seem insane to the person.

 

“Well what’s bothering you sweetie?” Cha-Cha asked as she sat next to Vanya, smiling at her.

 

At first Cha-Cha had hoped to just grab Vanya and see what she could do to set the young girl off, if the Handler said this girl would cause the apocalypse, well she’d do her best to make sure it happened, but now she had another idea. If she befriended Vanya, got the girl to trust her, well if she prodded Vanya to distance herself from her family, got inside her head, it’d be much easier to guide her to do what she wanted with less risk to herself. She didn’t fancy Vanya deciding to just get rid of her with her powers and not bother with the apocalypse.

 

“It’s my family.” Vanya told her. She didn’t know why but she felt she could trust this woman, at least to hear out her problems for a short while.

 

“What’s the matter with them, sweetie?” Cha-Cha asked.

 

“They belittle me, they blame me for things, they don’t take my feelings into account at all, they attack me as I’m an easy target and the worst part is I know I deserve it all.” Vanya sobbed. “I do hurt people, I do things that make others upset and angry, and I don’t know how to be better.”

 

“I’m sure that’s not the case at all, darling.” Cha-Cha soothed her, gently lying a hand on Vanya’s shoulder, who flinched at the touch. “I’m sure they’re sorry for whatever they’ve done and are looking for you right now.”

 

“Do you think so? They hate me.” Vanya cried.

 

“I know they don’t.” Cha-Cha promised her, pulling Vanya closer and hugging her, Vanya crying on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around Cha-Cha as well. “Do you want me to give you a lift back home? I’m sure they’re going out of their mind worrying for you.”

 

“Can you?” Vanya sniffled. She still wasn’t one hundred percent about this woman, but with her emotions, she knew she could handle herself, and the woman seemed to want to do right by her, it’d be nice to vent her feelings, rather than channeling them out with her powers. Perhaps this woman could be of help to her, if she made sure to keep herself calm enough to not let her powers loose.

 

“Sure, Vanya. I’m Charlotte, by the way.” Cha-Cha introduced herself. “So, where do you want me to take you?”

 

“Do you know the Umbrella Academy?” Vanya asked her.

 

“Where those super kids live?” Charlotte asked. “You want dropping around there?”

 

“Yes please.” Vanya said, trying to smile a little.

 

“Sure, it’s only about ten minutes drive down the road, I’ll get you there.” Cha-Cha told her. “Hop in.”

 

/

 

“Do you think Vanya’s gone to the theatre?” Luther asked Allison as they approached the outside of the Icarus.

 

“Probably not, but we need to find her and help her.” Allison told him.

 

“Allison, talk to me.” Luther told her. “I know you’ve been distracted, you’ve not been yourself for the past few weeks, ever since we came back. Talk to me.”

 

“What is there to talk about, Luther? We had to come back here, fix everything but I lost everything.”

 

“You mean Claire.” Luther realised, feeling bad that he hadn’t given it much thought before now.

 

“What do you expect me to feel like, Luther? Sure, I’m glad we stopped the end of everything and we have a chance to make sure it never happens, but I lost my daughter and I don’t know how or if I’ll ever get her back.”

 

“What can I do to help?” Luther asked her, feeling more powerless than ever before.

 

“I don’t know, Luther. I just want my baby girl in my arms.”

 

“We could ask Five, see if he knows anything we could do?” Luther suggested.

 

“We’re in a different timeline now, aren’t we?” Allison asked. “She won’t exist if he jumped to the future to find her and we can’t get back to the timeline where she exists.”

 

“It won’t hurt to ask him though.” Luther said. “If there’s any chance we can reunite you with Claire, make sure you can raise her, then we’ll take it. You won’t lose out if I can make sure of it, Allison.” Luther promised her.

 

“I know, if there’s a chance, I know you guys would move Heaven and Earth to make sure I got to hold my little girl again, I just don’t want to get my hopes up only for them to be dashed.” Allison told him.

 

“It won’t hurt to ask, and if we can, we’ll bring Claire back to you, Allison.” Luther promised her. “I swear, if it can be done, it will be.”

 

“Thank you.” Allison simply said, hugging him tightly, Luther instictively moving his arms around her and hugging her back, feeling warm and content in her touch.

 

/

 

“What are we looking for, Five?” Klaus asked as the two of them looked through the cabin, rifling through cabinets and opening doors for any sign of Vanya being here.

 

“I don’t know. Harold’s grandmother still lives here so we need to go at the first sign of her, but I’m thinking there’s no chance she’s here really, Klaus. We should probably go check somewhere closer to the Academy.”

 

“Right..” Klaus said. “So, why did you bring me, Five?”

 

“I explained my reasoning back there.” Five said simply.

 

“Bullshit. I know there’s another reason, you don’t usually lay your cards on the table outright. If there’s anything we all know about you, it’s that.” Klaus told him.

 

“You know what, you’re right, Klaus. I did bring you for a reason.” Five told him, turning to face him. “It’s because you’re an idiot. What, you weren’t getting enough attention so you had to attack Vanya? Because she’s the only one who might let you walk all over her? We came for you, as soon as we knew. We weren’t going to let anything happen to you and we should have dealt with dad by stopping him from doing any extra training ever again, why did you need to lash out at her? Vanya wanted to comfort you, you moron.” Five snarled at him, working himself up more and more as he raged at Klaus, who shrunk at his tone and backed into the corner.

 

“I’m sorry, ok?” Klaus asked, still horrified about what he had done. “I didn’t mean to do it, I was angry and she was just there. I regretted it immediately, I wanted nothing more than to tell her I was being an idiot and I’d love to talk to her but she was gone before I could speak. I was stupid and I’m sorry, Five, alright? When we find her, I don’t care, I’m hugging her.” Klaus told him, tears in his eyes as he spoke, hating himself more as he thought more about what he’d done.

 

Five eyed him up for a moment, before nodding and hugging Klaus.

 

“Good.” Five told him. “Now let’s go find her and bring her home.” He said, jumping with Klaus back towards the Academy.

 

/

 

“So what do we do now?” Diego asked Ben as the two of them met back up at the Academy. No sign of Vanya on any of the nearby blocks and nobody they’d asked seemed to have seen her. They did find some destroyed street lamps, so knew she had likely been in the area, but attempts to find her had turned up nothing.

 

“We wait for the rest of them to come back, hopefully with Vanya.” Ben said. “We can’t head off in case she comes back.”

 

“I know, I just hate feeling useless, just sitting here.” Diego said. “I could be doing something, anything to help find Vanya and instead I’m sat here, on house sitting duty if anything.”

 

“It’ll be fine, Diego.” Ben said. “They’ll find her.”

 

“Master Diego, Master Ben, may I speak to you?” A voice said from the doorway, looking over they saw Pogo standing in the doorway, head bowed and looking apologetic.

 

“What do you want, Pogo?” Diego spat, standing and pulling a knife from his harness, Pogo paling as he watched this.

 

‘Have I really fallen so far in the children’s estimation? I only told their father to help them.’

 

“I wanted to apologise, what I did was wrong, I only sought to help you children, to allow you to have somebody else to go to for guidance. I know I betrayed your trust and I will regret that to my dying day, but I only want to help you.” Pogo assured them.

 

“You only want to help us, Pogo?” Ben asked him incredulously. “How does telling dad about us, having Klaus locked up in that place, and having dad threaten us help us in any way, you stupid monkey?” Ben asked him, the chimp flinching at his tone and words.

 

“I didn’t know, Master Ben. I know your father is a difficult man, but I hoped he’d speak to you all in a loving manner, help you with your issues and move on together. I didn’t expect him to be on the offensive against all of you children. I know I did wrong by you and I understand if you children don’t trust me now, but believe me, I only have your best interests at heart. My door will always be open, for all seven of you, should you wish to talk.” Pogo said sadly, turning and heading out of the door again.

 

“I don’t know.” Diego frowned, as both him and Ben wrestled with themselves. They’d had their trust broken by Pogo, but they still remembered their childhood the first time around, where Pogo was a benevolent uncle compared to their father and could do no wrong in their eyes.

“I want to give him a chance, I really do, but I don’t know if we can ever trust him again.” Ben said and Diego nodded.

 

“Yeah I get that. I think we should ask the others what they want to do about Pogo first before we decide on anything.” Diego told him.

 

“It’ll have to wait for a bit, Vanya comes first and she’s probably still very angry with him.” Ben said. “Once she decides to forgive him, we’ll talk about it.”

 

/

 

“Just around here is fine, thank you Charlotte.” Vanya grinned at the kind woman as they pulled up alongside the Academy.

 

“Hopefully we’ll meet again sometime, sweetheart.” Cha-Cha smiled as Vanya hopped out of the car and closed the door behind her, Cha-Cha rolling down the window to speak to her. “I’m sure your siblings are waiting already to apologise to you, just remember what we talked about.”

 

“I will.” Vanya smiled at her. “You’re right, I am loved really, thank you so much Charlotte.”

 

“Well if we ever do meet again, I’m always available for a chat if you need it.” Cha-Cha said, waving as Vanya walked off, rolling up the window again and driving away, Cha-Cha smiled to herself.

 

‘Before long, you’ll be trusting me far beyond any of your siblings, Vanya Hargreeves, and then the apocalypse will happen.’

 

Cha-Cha drove on for a few more minutes before pulling up into her motel, and heading up the stairs, entering her room, she closed the door before a cough surprised her. Turning around, she saw Hazel walking out of the bathroom, gun in hand.

 

“Hello Cha-Cha. We need to talk.”

 

/

 

“Have you found her?” Allison asked as Luther and her met up with Klaus and Five outside the Academy.

 

“Not a sign of her, I take you haven’t either?” Klaus asked.

 

“Not a trace. Maybe she’s inside the academy?” Luther hoped as they headed into the house together, hearing laughter coming from the main room, the quartet headed there, to find Diego, Ben and Vanya sat on the sofa laughing at a joke one of them had just said.

 

“You really called him a stupid monkey?” Vanya asked Ben who nodded.

 

“I regretted it, I did, but honestly, he deserved it.” Ben smiled as Vanya and Diego laughed again, seeing the others, Ben and Diego smiled at them, Vanya turning to them, she hesitated for a moment before smiling herself.

 

“Hey guys.” Vanya said. “Look I’m -”

 

Was all she got out before she found herself trapped between Klaus and Allison, both of them wrapping against her as hard as they could.

 

“I’m so sorry, Vanya.” Klaus sobbed into her hair as he pressed against her, Vanya awkwardly trying to pat him.

 

“It’s alright, I’m sorry too, for running off like that.” Vanya told him.

 

“I’m also sorry, I forgot, with my powers and everything, and I wish I could have done more to help you, god I’m sorry I forgot, Vanya, about the cabin and everything.” Allison babbled. “Forgive me?”

 

“I couldn’t stay angry with you if I tried, Allison. I’ve hurt you too much to ever deserve your forgiveness, you deserve mine.” Vanya told her as Allison choked back a cry as well.

 

“How about we just never hold anything from the past against each other?”

 

“Deal.” Vanya smiled.

 

“So where did you go?” Luther asked her.

 

“I don’t know, I just ran, then I was found by this lovely woman named Charlotte who I spoke to for a while, she made me see that maybe I’d overreacted to everything and that you guys really did love me, and she gave me a ride back.”

 

“What did she look like?” Five asked, suspicious that some random woman had come across Vanya and calmed her down. What if she was working for the Temps Commission? But if she was, why calm Vanya down? Maybe because it was too early in the timeline? Five had a million questions and no answers, just the way he hated it.

 

“Short woman, black hair and eyes, brown skinned, I did see in the back seat of her car there was a mask, I think, but I didn’t see it clearly enough to tell you what it was.” Vanya said, Five’s skin paling with every word she spoke. Without warning, Five jumped away to his room and left the others behind.

 

“They’ve found me.” Five whispered to himself as he poured over his notes, looking for something, anything that would have given him away. “How did the Temps Commission find me so fast?”

 

The young man ran from the house, the sight and smell of his father’s blood choking his senses, as he ran and ran and ran, never looking back, if he stopped he’d be caught, they wouldn’t care that his father had been abusive, he still killed him and he’d still be looking at prison for it. He wasn’t going to prison, not if he could help it.

 

Harold Jenkins was determined. He’d get away, lie low and once he was certain the coast was clear, he’d head back to the city. His father had died because of his abuse, but there was someone else who had ruined Harold’s young life, someone else he needed to see punished for his words and actions.

 

Reginald Hargreeves was a dead man walking.


	12. Sibling Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enemies scheme as the Hargreeves Talk
> 
> Yeah, this chapter is just pure sap from the Academy kids.

Harold had to decide what to do next. He couldn’t stay at his home, but he couldn’t live in the wilderness like a creature, he wasn’t prepared for anything like that. Maybe he could live with his grandmother, but she’d ask where his father was. Maybe he could convince her not to go to the police, but why take the risk? If he removed her, as lovely as she was, maybe he’d be able to use her cabin to hide himself, he could act as if she was still alive, ensure a source of income through her pension, and see about caring for himself.

 

Once Harold was sure he’d be able to get away with it, he’d strike against Hargreeves, make the old fool realise just how special he was, until Hargreeves begged him to join the Academy, at that time, he’d decide whether to join and live his dream or destroy Hargreeves with his refusal. He’d think on it more later down the line though, first he had to get to his grandmother’s cabin before the police found him, before they found his father, and he’d have to make sure his grandmother knew she either kept quiet or he’d deal with her.

 

/

 

 

“So, what do you want, Hazel?” Cha-Cha asked, holding her hands up in the air at the sight of the gun trained on her.

 

“Why are you here? Why can’t you just let it all go?” Hazel asked her.

 

“I need to do this, to make sure the apocalypse happens, fix the mistakes you and my future self made. Once I’ve done this, I get to go back to my time, live a good life, maybe I’ll stop you from becoming this failure that you are now, if not, at least I’ll be able to get a new partner who respects the job and knows their duty.”

 

“But why, Cha-Cha? You could be happy here, like I am. Just give up the Commission and the rules they enforce on you. You could find what makes you happy and pursue it. You don’t need to spend your life just killing people.” Hazel told her.

 

“This isn’t my life and it isn’t yours either, Hazel!” Cha-Cha said to him. “Come on back to the Commission, I could speak to the Handler, she’d forgive you, I know she would. Work with me to keep the timeline safe again, we could go anywhere, do anything to work for the good of everyone.” Cha-Cha implored him. She didn’t want to kill Hazel if she could help it, if he worked with her, he could save himself and protect the timeline at the same time. “We can even keep her safe, the donut lady? She could be safe and waiting for you in the time period of your choice, you know it could happen.”

 

“I know the offer would be there, but it’d be a lie, as everything is with the Commission.” Hazel told her. “Come on Cha-Cha, can’t you see this?”

 

“All I see is a traitor and a coward.” Cha-Cha spat at him, seeing her words were having little effect on swaying Hazel around to her point of view.

 

“It’s time to end this, Cha-Cha.” Hazel said simply. “Now, shall we do it here or do you want to go somewhere more private?” He gestured with the gun.

 

“At least make this a contest.” Cha-Cha told him, Hazel mulled it over for a moment before nodding, lowering the gun and putting in on the table in front of him, raising his fists.

 

“To the end of a long and fruitful partnership.” He told her with a smile as he charged towards her, Cha-Cha also charging at him.

 

/

 

“What are we going to do about Pogo then?” Diego asked as the siblings gathered around the table, minus Five, who had told them he had pressing timeline issues to deal with before jumping away, disappearing from the house.

 

“I don’t know. I want to forgive him, but how can we trust him?” Ben asked.

 

“I don’t care. He betrayed us, that’s it for me.” Allison said.

 

“I’m not sure, I want to forgive him, but he did betray us. How can we trust him again?” Luther asked.

 

“I just can’t. I want to go back to how it used to be, with Pogo being who we could go to for anything, no matter the reason, but I can’t.” Vanya said. “I want too, but I can’t get out of my head how he helped dad to make me suffer, and what I did to him, everytime I close my eyes I see him bleeding out before me, and I can’t.” Vanya said, sniffling as she finished, Allison moving to hug her.

 

“I’m with Vanya on this one, Pogo hid behind the caring mentor when he helped our sadistic prick of a dad to carry out his torture on all of us, I say let the monkey stew for a few more weeks at least.” Klaus chimed in.

 

“So, I guess we tell Pogo if he brings it up, maybe later but for now, thanks but no thanks?” Diego asked, the rest looking between themselves.

 

“I guess.” Allison said.

 

“As fun as all of this sounds, maybe we should actually do something about sorting out the many intense emotional issues that still scar our family?” Ben asked in general, the others looking between themselves.

 

“It’s not really the time for that, Ben.” Luther said. “We need Five here for a start, if we’re really going to get into all of this, and we need a plan for what to do afterwards. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t think I can spend much longer with dad, not after everything that’s happened.”

 

“I’d be up for the getting rid of him option, but then he’d just haunt my every waking moment in a final act of spite.” Klaus stated. “Maybe we lock him up in Vanya’s chamber for a while, give him a taste of the emotional and physical isolation he’s forced on all of us?”

 

“That’s not a bad idea actually.” Diego said. “Why shouldn’t the old prick get a taste of his own medicine?”

 

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’m actually in agreement here.” Allison said.

 

“Are you sure? I don’t think even dad deserves something like that.” Vanya said, looking unsure about it all. Reginald may have been a collosal dick but he was still their father at the end of it all.

 

“Vanya, he locked you in a room with no company, made me turn you normal and belittled you throughout your childhood. This is the least he deserves.” Allison told her.

 

“I still don’t like it.” Vanya admitted, looking down at the floor. She knew what they were saying, but she still felt little compared to them. Even if their father never accepted her, if there was a slight chance that learning to control her powers would earn his praise, she knew helping to lock him up would end any chance of that.

 

“I get it.” Allison said, seeing the hesitation in Vanya’s eyes. “He’s a monster, though, Vanya, with everything he’s done to you, and to all of us. He won’t ever care for you like he should and he doesn’t deserve any respect or love from you, V.”

 

“I can’t help it.” Vanya sighed as Allison moved over to where she was sat and wrapped her arms around Vanya, who nestled her head in her sisters shoulder. “I just want to be accepted, even by dad.”

 

“I know.” Allison said, running her hands through Vanya’s hair and soothing her, holding her sister close. “He doesn’t deserve you, V. Do you want to do some training, take your mind off of it?”

 

“Maybe later.” Vanya told her. “I want to go practise my violin for a bit, try calm myself down.” She told Allison with a smile, disentangling herself from Allison’s arms.

 

“Are you sure?” Allison asked, with a frown. She didn’t want Vanya to be alone with her thoughts right now, especially with how volatile it had been the past few days for them all.

 

“Yeah, I’ll be alright.” Vanya smiled as she stood up and walked out of the room. “Thank you, though, Allison.”

 

/

 

‘Where are you, Cha-Cha?’ Five thought as he jumped throughout the city, hitting every motel he could think of. He knew the Commission would out her up in a motel, probably not far from the Academy if they were the target, as he knew they would be.

 

“Where would I go if I was a psychopath who wanted me and my entire family dead? Apart from the obvious places.” Five asked himself. “It’s times like this I wish I had Delores with me. She’d know what to do about all of this.”

 

Looking at a new motel, Five noticed a Volvo in the parking lot, and his eyes lit up.

 

“Jackpot.” Five said to himself. The Commission would only go cheap to get their assassins around, and Five remembered all the times he had to use that make when he was on their payroll. Now time for the hunted to become the hunter. Once he had Cha-Cha’s movements mapped out and her routine down, he’d strike.

 

/

 

Vanya played her violin in her room, the notes flowing from her mind and into her fingers, closing her eyes as she felt the bow glide across the strings, her mood soothing and her body relaxing with every note, as every sound emitted a small white glow, she felt truly at peace for the first time in weeks. Hearing her door creak open, she continued to play, hoping whoever it was would leave her be for a time, as she finished her piece, she heard slow clapping, opening her eyes she saw Luther stood in the doorway.

 

“That was beautiful, Vanya.” He told her with a small yet uncertain smile, which grew wider when she flashed a grin back at him.

 

“Thank you, Luther.” Vanya said to him. “I’m glad you liked it.”

 

“How did you learn to play so well?” Luther asked her suddenly.

 

“Years of practise.” Vanya shrugged. “Same as you learnt to cope with your strength and to become a leader.”

 

“Not much of a leader, am I? Everyone looks to Five for guidance, and I’ve done nothing in years to show any leadership, when we were all back together, all I did was split us further apart, and even when we were kids the first time, I cared more for pleasing dad than I did for caring for my siblings. I sucked as Number One.”

 

“You really didn’t, Luther.” Vanya told him. “You had to make hard choices, choices that weren’t always the best, but were done with the best of intentions. I know it, our brothers and sister know it, why can’t you accept it, Luther?”

 

“Because I was Number One, Vanya. I was supposed to make the right choice, always. I messed that up. I pushed everyone away and when we came back together, instead of talking, figuring it all out, I acted rashly, I locked you away, I drove you into your anger and I made sure you’d hate us all for it.” Luther said, Vanya digesting his words in silence.

 

“I don’t hate you, Luther.” Vanya said quietly after a moment’s pause. “I was angry and hurt, yes, but I understand why you did what you did. You reacted with your emotion, and you helped make it better by stopping me and helping when we got back here. I couldn’t hate you, any of you, even if I tried, I don’t think.” Vanya told him with a small smile. “I love you, all of you.”

 

“We love you too, Vanya.” Luther told her, returning her smile with one of his own. “We’ll make it better this time, I promise.”

 

“I know, Luther.” Vanya told him. “I’ll make it better this time as well, no matter what it takes.”

 

“All it takes, is we try. Sometimes we’ll fall, but as long as we try, we’ll make it.” Luther assured her. “I just know it.”

 

Vanya put down her bow on the table and walked over to the door, Luther assumed she was planning to walk past him, before she grabbed him and hugged him tightly, Luther stiffening in her arms.

 

“Are you sure?” Luther asked her.

 

“I am, I trust you won’t hurt me again, Luther. I want you to hug me.”

 

Luther just smiled as he wrapped his arms around his littlest sister. Somehow, they’d be alright.


	13. Smashing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cha-Cha and Hazel decide a plan whilst Vanya trains with Diego

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I just realised I said that Allison moved to hug Vanya in the last chapter, then moved again to hug her despite never moving away from her. Oh dear. Anyway, the angst is far from over, and I’ve finally decided what to do with this story. It’s switched from Reginald to the Commission to Harold over and over who the “Big Bad” will be, I’ve decided that I’ll be saving at least one of them for the sequel, also yeah, there will be a sequel. I want to end this story on April 1st, since in the show that’s the date of the apocalypse, I think it’d be fitting. Just a short chapter for you this time, more coming tomorrow...

Harold looked around at the old cabin, taking in the sights and smells of the place.

 

‘Yes, this will suit nicely for a home.’ Harold told himself, turning as the door opened and his grandmother walked into the cabin, freezing when she saw Harold stood alone in the room.

 

“Harold, sweetie? Why are you here? Where is your dad?” She asked, concerned that he’d be there by himself for any reason.

 

“Dad’s dead, Granny.” Harold said, trying to make his voice sound sad. “I came here, I knew I’d be safer here, I walked in to find him dead, someone attacked him.”

 

“Oh my dear.” She said, looking in shock before heading to the phone. “I need to phone the police, make sure they help find whoever did it, did you already phone them, dear?”

 

Harold shook his head. It seemed the old shrew would bring attention on him if she called, the police would question him and if they suspected him, he’d be looking at serious time in a juvenile facility. Harold couldn’t let anything stop him from getting his revenge.

 

“I’m sorry.” Harold told her, picking up an ornament from the table and jumping at her, hitting her in the head as hard as he could, knocking them both onto the ground. As he knelt up, he kept hitting her, ignoring her weakening cries for help and the pool of blood beginning on the floor. After a few more hits, Harold stopped, standing back up, breathing heavily.

 

“I wish I hadn’t had to do that, granny.” Harold spoke to himself, as she twitched and breathed her last. “Look what you made me do. I didn’t want to do it but you made me.” Harold felt himself crying as he looked down at her. He didn’t want to hurt her, really he didn’t, but she made him do it, didn’t she by her constant pushing? Why couldn’t she leave it alone?

 

/

 

“What do we do now then?” Ben asked as the Hargreeves children gathered around the kitchen again.

 

“Well hopefully Five will come back soon and tell us all where the hell he vanished off too.” Allison said.

 

“Just forget it for now, let him go about his business.” Luther said. “We need to look at some more training for Vanya, help her get a better handle on her powers.”

 

“I’ve already learnt all I can about hitting targets from a distance.” Vanya complained. “What else can I do? I need to do more, I need to let more of my powers out.”

 

“It’s too dangerous, Vanya.” Klaus told her. “We can’t risk hurting you.”

 

“Or anyone else.” Vanya muttered.

 

“We trust you to do your best not to hurt anyone else, Vanya.” Allison assured her. “It’s just if it does get out of hand, it’s best to try tone down any damage, you know?”

 

“Yeah I get it. Who wants to train with me today then?” Vanya asked.

 

“I will.” Diego said suddenly. “You and I haven’t gone a few rounds anytime recently, Vanya. I’ll show you the ropes of how to fight properly.”

 

 

/

 

Hazel picked Cha-Cha up by the scruff of her clothes and slammed her down into the table, blood dripping from the cut over his eye, his vision was blurry, but Cha-Cha was in no better shape, her arm was twisted at a weird angle, her eye was blackened by a bruise and blood ran down from a cut on her leg.

 

“Going to give it up, Cha-Cha?” Hazel spluttered out as Cha-Cha jumped up and headbutted him in the mouth, sending him reeling backwards.

 

“I’ll stop when you’re dead, you and your whore.” Cha-Cha said.

 

“I don’t want to hurt you, Cha-Cha, not anymore than I have.” Hazel told her. “Please, let this go.”

 

“Never.” Cha-Cha spat at him as she ran at him again, Hazel ducking her attack and slamming his fist into her face, following it up with another strike to her ribs, sending Cha-Cha sprawling to the ground. Walking over her and to the door, Hazel turned to see her lying there, moaning weakly.

 

“Please, give it up, Cha-Cha. Consider this mercy.” Hazel said, limping out of the motel and leaving Cha-Cha on the floor.

 

“Mercy.” Cha-Cha spat as she struggled to her knees. “Mercy is what I’ll give your whore when I put a bullet in her head.”

 

 

/

 

“Again.” Diego said as Vanya pulled her string across the bow and unleashed a blast of energy, smashing into a bin that Diego had placed in the centre of the courtyard.

 

“How many more times do we need to do this, Diego? I think I’m ready to move onto something harder.” Vanya said as she hit the bin again.

 

“Until I’m sure you can handle something harder.” Diego told her. “But if you want hard, fine. Hit me.”

 

“What? I’m not going to do that!” Vanya protested.

 

“Why not? You want a challenge. I’m a moving target. Try hit me, knock me down.”

 

“I can’t!” Vanya cried.

 

“Why not? I trust you won’t hurt me, Vanya.” Diego told her gently, “You wanted a challenge and here it is, hit me with your best shot, see what you can do. I promise you won’t land a hit on me before I can get my knife to your throat.”

 

“Are you sure?” Vanya asked him, looking in shock at him. Would he trust her like this? She wasn’t sure she would, if she was in his position.

 

“I trust you.” Diego nodded and smiled at her, Vanya smiling back at him.

 

“Ok.” She said, face brightening. “Let’s do this.”

 

“Are you ready?” Diego asked, moving to the other side of the courtyard and pulling his knives from his harness.

 

“Yeah.” Vanya smiled, raising her bow towards her violin as he began running towards her.

 

Vanya’s bow glided across the violin as she threw the bow outwards, a wave of energy spiralling outwards, Diego ducking under it and running towards her, Vanya quickly hurrying to make sure she had the time to send another wave at him, throwing it towards him, she yelled in shock as the wave crashed into him and sent Diego flying through the air and smacking into the far wall, where he lay, lifeless.

 

“DIEGO!” Vaya screamed as she dropped the violin and bow and rushed over to him, turning him over and shaking him slightly, crying as she did. “Diego? Diego? Wake up!"


	14. Dreams Are Where The Darkest Desires Dwell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone faces their demons. Some better than others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sad now :( They announced Jordan Claire Robbins (Grace/Mom) at Wales Comic Con, which I can’t go to as I’m doing MCM Birmingham tomorrow and meeting Tom and Emmy. Win some, lose some I guess xD After this update, there will probably be NO updates until MONDAY. Sorry :/
> 
> WARNING: This chapter may trigger people who have suffered suicidal thoughts, I know the word trigger is bandied around these days but I feel if you don’t want to possibly suffer any traumatic memories, you deserve a warning. If anybody does skip this chapter, I’d be happy to message them a tl;dr if they comment/review stating they skipped it.

“Diego?” Vanya cried as she shook her brother again, Diego lying lifeless on the ground, arms splayed and a trickle of blood running down from a cut on his forehead.

 

“What are you two upto?” Klaus asked, coming out into the courtyard, before pausing when he saw Diego on the floor and Vanya crying, shaking him. “Vanya? Diego?” He asked, rushing over to them and kneeling down next to her, putting his fingers to Diego’s neck before breathing a sigh of relief.

 

“He’s just unconscious.” Klaus said with a shaky laugh, looking over to see Vanya still crying and starting to shake, staring in horrified shock at Diego. “Vanya?” Klaus asked again, moving to sit Diego up, as he held onto Diego though, Vanya reacted, fear driving her, she lashed out, knocking Klaus to the ground with a blast as she screamed and rocked herself again, drawing the attention of the others.

 

“What’s going on?” Luther and Allison asked as they headed out into the yard as well, to see Diego on the floor, Klaus picking himself up and Vanya, crying and rocking as she kneeled by Diego’s side.

 

“Vanya?” Allison asked, slowly approaching, hand out in front in a peaceful gesture. “Can I come near?”

 

Vanya just stared blankly at Diego, not answering as Allison approached her.  Allison sat down next to her and speaking as softly as she could, she said “I’m going to hug you now, ok Vanya, as Luther comes and takes Diego inside, is that alright?”

 

Not receiving a response, Allison snaked her arms around her sister and pulled her close, letting Vanya cry onto her shoulder, stroking her hair and gently rocking her as Luther came over to them, lifted Diego into his arms and strode back towards the house, Klaus in tow.

 

“Vanya, do you want to talk about it?” Allison asked as she cradled her sister, Vanya sobbed and shook against her, not speaking, just letting herself cry, Allison trying her utmost to soothe her. “It’s ok if you don’t want to talk, I’ll be here for as long as you need me to be, when you’re ready to talk, I’ll be right here.”

 

“I d-didn’t mean too.” Vanya cried against Allison’s shoulder. “He a-asked me t-to aim at him, I d-didn’t want to hit him, it was an accident!” Vanya cried out as Allison rubbed her back.

 

“I know, we all know you wouldn’t want to hurt anyone on purpose, Vanya. Nobody blames you, you know that, right? When Diego wakes up, he won’t blame you either.”

 

“Will he wake up?” Vanya asked, horrified at the thought that her brother may not wake up from what she did to him.

 

“Shh, of course he will.” Allison told her, seeing how distressed Vanya was at the idea of Diego not waking. “We’ll all be laughing this off by dinner, or whenever Five shows back up, whichever comes first.” Allison told her with a smile as Vanya half sobbed and half laughed into her shoulder.

 

“Promise?” Vanya asked, wiping her eyes as she pulled away from Allison’s embrace.

 

“Promise.” Allison smiled at her. “Just wait and see.”

 

/

 

“Fuck me, you really have made a mess in here, haven’t you?” Five gloated as he stepped into the ruined motel room, seeing Cha-Cha struggling to rise to her feet.

 

“Five.” Cha-Cha growled as she saw him.

 

“I see you recognise me? Why are you here and why are you stalking my family?” Five demanded.

 

“You already know the answer, smart kid like you.” Cha-Cha spat as she pulled herself to her feet, swaying slightly.

 

“Why shouldn’t I kill you then, right now?” Five challenged her. “Get rid of the threat right now?”

 

“You know I’d just be replaced, and the Handler would come after you.”

 

“She’s a tenacious old shrew, that’s for sure.” Five muttered before fixing his focus back onto Cha-Cha. “You would be replaced, true, but what’s stopping me from just killing you here and now, bit of revenge for what you’ve put my fsamily through?”

 

“Absolutely nothing. Go ahead. Do it.” Cha-Cha glared as she opened her arms wide, inviting Five to kill her.

 

“You’re not worth it.” Five said, turning and walking out of the door, leaving Cha-Cha gaping behind him.

 

“COME BACK AND FIGHT, COWARD!” Cha-Cha roared after him, Five jumping away back to the Academy.

 

“Pity, I had high hopes for you, Cha-Cha.” A new voice said, Cha-Cha seeing the Handler stood in the doorway.

 

“What am I supposed to do, Hazel has my number and Five will be a thorn in my side if I make any move against his siblings, especially Vanya. How do I win this situation, exactly?” Cha-Cha spat.

 

“Luckily for you, you have the resources of the Commission at hand. Firstly, let’s head back to HQ and do something about those injuries.”

 

/

 

Hazel drove back up the long stretch of road in a hurry. He knew Cha-Cha would mean exactly what she said, she’d come after Agnes, and he wasn’t about to let anything happen to her. If it meant getting her to a different place or even a different time, Hazel wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her because of him.

 

Putting his foot down and steadily getting faster and faster, Hazel couldn’t concentrate on the road, too wrapped up in the thoughts of what Cha-Cha had threatened and fear for Agnes’ safety. Every second he was away from her, she was in danger, how hadn’t he noticed that before? Forget thoughts of stopping the apocalypse, anything like that, he needed to get to Agnes and make sure she was safe, immediately.

 

“I’m coming, Agnes.” Hazel said to himself as he floored it, speeding around a bend in the road, never seeing the car coming the other direction until it was too late to react.

 

Hazel’s car flipped as the two collided, and Hazel was sent rolling down the road, crashing into the treeline flanking the roadside, and Hazel fell into the woodland.

 

/

 

“Is Diego alright?” Vanya asked, as Allison stepped out of the room where they’d placed him once Luther brought him into the house.

 

“He’s still out cold, V, but he’ll be alright, I promise.” Allison smiled at her as Vanya retreated back into her thoughts.

 

‘He’s still out cold, he should be awake by now. What if he won’t be alright? What if he never wakes up? What have I done?’ Vanya berated herself as she replayed the same questions over and over inside her mind, barely noticing Allison continuing to ask her questions.

 

“You’re worthless, and weak, Vanya.” A voice said inside her head, spiteful and angry in its tone, Vanya could see Leonard in the corner, just behind Allison.

 

“Nobody will ever love you, they’re scared of you, Vanya. They always will be. Nobody but me will ever care for you and even I know you’re weak. You don’t deserve happiness or love, as you’re too ordinary and weak. Even with powers, you’re pathetic.”

 

“I’m not! I’m loved and cared for!” Vanya argued, feeling hollow even as she argued. What if Leonard was right all along?

 

“Are you?” Leonard asked inside of her mind, taunting her and twisting her thoughts.

 

“Maybe you’re right...maybe I am unloved. I hurt Diego, why would they still love me after that?” Vanya asked herself.

 

“Exactly!” Leonard seized upon her hesistation as he continued to pour poison into her thoughts, the memory of her tormentor damaging her psyche more. “You hurt everyone who you ever loved, you slit Allison’s throat, you’ve done this to Diego, you killed me. You don’t deserve to live, Vanya.”

 

“Vanya?” Allison asked as she saw Vanya zone out, Vanya shook her head and fixed her with a smile.

 

“Yeah, I’m alright, Allison, Promise.” Vanya told her, Allison nodding her head.

 

“Alright, I’m going to go back in, you sure you don’t want to wait in here for Diego to wake up?”

 

“No, I trust you if you say he’ll be fine.” Vanya said with a strained smile. “I’m going to go get a shower.”

 

“Alright.” Allison said, frowning slightly at Vanya’s sudden one eighty. “I’ll call you when he wakes.”

 

Vanya nodded and walked away, determined to get up to the bathroom as soon as she could, Allison watching her go with a deepening frown. Why would Vanya suddenly flip from worried to noncha lant. She needed to follow her, Allison decided. She couldn’t do much for Diego, but she could for Vanya. 

 

/

 

Diego woke to find himself not in the Academy as he expected, but in a warm bed with silk sheets and fresh pressed pillowcases. Breathing in the smell of the room, ‘Lavender?’ he wondered, he noticed that he wasn’t alone in the bed.

 

Looking over to the other occupant, he could make out a woman, slightly smaller in stature than he was, with brown hair, facing away from him, with a gentle nudge to her shoulder, the woman rolled over, moaning at him in her sleep.

 

“Leave me alone, Diego. It’s the last day off before the next part of the Academy, can’t we sleep in for once?”

 

“Patch?” Diego asked in bewilderment at Eudoria Patch lying in a bed with him. “What happened?”

 

/

 

Vanya stood in the shower, feeling the water cascading down her back, the thoughts and memories of the past month or so rushing through her mind, Five’s return, her family troubles, meeting Leonard, harming Allison, killing Leonard, causing the end of the world, arguing with Klaus, running away, injuring Diego, she couldn’t take it anymore.

 

With a cry, she lifted her hand into the air, looking at the small metallic object she had brought into the bathroom with her, with a soft sob, she brought it towards her wrist.

 

“I don’t deserve to be happy, Leonard was right.” Vanya cried as she brought the blade to her wrist and cut.


	15. Who Lives, Who Dies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Events happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to rave about MCM and especially Tom and Emmy, god if you ever get the chance to meet either of them, TAKE IT. They’re the sweetest and nicest comic con guests I’ve ever met, especially Emmy. It was her first proper con she said and it showed with how excited she was with everything. It was amazing. Check @2050_official on Twitter if you want to see some of my photos of the con.
> 
> The two of them were so kind and passionate about what they do and you could tell, both were full of humour, Tom joking he hasn’t forgiven Drogon from GOT for killing him yet, Emmy saying that if she could play any superhero at all she’d honestly pick Allison. Her or Mystique. Also about the cast, saying Aiden is the most mature of the lot, that he asks the questions they all think afterwards they should have thought of earlier. Sad news was they kept confirming “No word on season 2 but we’d love it to happen so get on with it Netflix”
> 
> Just to round out this rambling A.N with an update on this fic, in honour of it being March 24th aka the day of Reginald’s funeral in the show, from now until April 1st, the day of the apocalypse in the show and the day I want to end this fic, I plan to do a MINIMUM of one update PER DAY. If I miss a day, as I may do, especially on Friday, due to work, I plan to do at least TWO the next day. So expect your notifications for this fic to go wild.

Hazel opened his eyes to see the trees around him flattened, his car on its side, lights flashing, the roof had caved in. He had somehow being thrown from it, his leg was cut, his arms were scratched, but apart from that, only minor injuries. He was slowed, but it was far from immobilising him. With a groan, he went to the car and shoved it, pushing it the right way again, wincing at his wrist, flaring up in pain a the action, he opened the door and struggled into the vehicle, shoving the roof up as much as he could as he slid back into the drivers seat and tried the engine. Surprisingly to Hazel it worked, and soon he was back on the road, car groaning as it slowly stalked its way back to where Agnes was waiting for him.

 

/

 

 

“How? What’s going on?” Diego asked in bewilderment, as he watched Patch slide out of bed and fumble around looking for her pants.

 

“What do you mean, Hargreeves?” Eudoria asked, looking at him in concern. “We wake up together like that most nights, or did you lose what little sense you had when I took you down in hand to hand yesterday?”

 

“You could never beat me at hand to hand and you know it.” Diego crowed as Patch shook her head.

 

“Well if you were being crazy, figured I could at least try get in with some lie I could brag about. You sure you’re alright, Diego?”

 

“Yeah I will be.” Diego said, shaking his head. How was he here? How was Patch here? Was all of it a weird dream? Dad’s death, the apocalypse, going back in time, did he dream all of it? “What’s the last thing you remember, before waking up this morning?” Diego asked.

 

“Falling asleep last night, after we’d gone out drinking, you sure you’re ok, Diego?”

 

“Yeah, I guess.” Diego said. “So, you off to the precinct today?”

 

“Am I off? What do you mean?” Patch asked, confused.

 

“Police work?”

 

“Diego, I quit the police force four years ago, you should probably go see a doctor if you’ve got memory issues, I can cover for you.” Patch told him with a frown and a kiss on the head. “Did that help any?” She teased.

 

“You know it.” Diego joked but inside he was freaking out. Four years? That settled it. He was in a horrible nightmare, it just had to be a nightmare, because it was the most peaceful and beautiful dream he’d ever had.

 

/

 

Hazel drove up to the donut store and rushed inside, relieved when he just saw Agnes talking to a couple of customers.

 

“Agnes.” Hazel called with a tired wave as she beamed at him.

 

“Hazel! You’re back! How was your trip?”

 

“I think I got everything done I need to do.” Hazel told her with a smile, the two customers just sitting off to the side, deep in their own conversation.

 

“Why don’t we go celebrate? I’ll close the shop up early, just after I’ve finishied serving these two young men.” Agnes told him, smiling as she turned back to see if the customers needed anything more. It all happened so fast to Hazel, so fast he could barely react.

 

“Thanks for the offer, Agnes, but we’re about to head out, got a job to do.” The two customers smiled at her and dismissed her. As she turned away from them they rose as once from their booths and Hazel, sensing something was amiss, ran towards them, before he could even cover half of the floor, the two men had drawn a handgun each and opened fire, bullets sailing through the air and hitting their mark.

 

With a scream and a fall that to Hazel seemed to last an agonising eternity, Agnes landed on the floor, blood pooling as bullets tore through her, hole after hole Hazel could see inside her sweater. With a screeching noise, Hazel noticed that he’d stood there for a few minutes, and the two men had fled, tires screeching as they made their escape.

 

“Agnes! Agnes!” Hazel said, dropping to his knees and gently rolling her over, seeing the holes from her back matched on the front, smiling weakly at him, blood dripping from her mouth, Agnes tried to speak to him.

 

“H….Haa...” Agnes said weakly, as Hazel clutched her in his arms.

 

“Anges, oh God, stay with me, please, stay with me.” Hazel pleaded, feeling tears stinging his cheeks. “HELP! ANYONE! PLEASE, HELP!” Hazel roared, hoping against hope that someone, anyone would hear him, would find him and save Agnes. Fumbling with his pockets, he drew out a phone and shakily dialled 911.

 

“Hello? There’s been a shooting! Agnes’ donut shop, please come quickly, she’s hurt badly!” Hazel begged down the phone as the operator tried to assure him that they were on the way and would be there within a few minutes and to hold on tight.

 

“Please..” Hazel cried as he felt Agnes shudder in his arms, pressing against as many of her wounds as he could, Hazel could only pray that someone, something would save her.

 

“Agnes...don’t die..please...” Hazel begged as Agnes gave a shaky cough and more blood dripped from her mouth.

 

“Hazel….don’t…anger….please...no...revenge.” Agnes said, her eyes giving him the faintest glimmer as her mouth curved into a small smile, Hazel choked back another sob and returned her smile.

 

“You’re going to be ok, you hear me, just fine.”

 

“Look...a-after...shop.” Agnes told him, going limp in his arms, her head turning slightly to the side and the light leaving her eyes as she breathed her last.

 

Hazel saw this and shut her eyes, gently lying her down onto the floor, before standing, tears falling thick and fast, he went into the back room and grabbed his spare gun, having left his gun in Cha-Cha’s hotel room and the briefcase they’d taken from the Handler as the world rained fire down upon them, so long ago and yet so far into the future.

 

“I’m sorry, Agnes, but I have to do what I do best. I’ll be back when they’re dead.”

 

/

 

Vanya sobbed as she felt the blade graze across her wrist, she didn’t feel the pain she was expecting, instead she felt relief as she saw the trickle of blood running down her wrist and into the swirling liquid running down the drain. Crying to herself, she pressed the blade deeper, begging the blade to cause her pain, to drown out her emotions.

 

“Vanya? Vanya, open up!” She could hear a pounding on the door outside but did her best to silence it, the blade was hurting now and Vanya screamed, a scream of relief and pain, one where she could feel her worries drifting away, knowing the pain would chase them away, would make her atone for all the hurt she had caused.

 

Vanya closed her eyes as she could feel the blood loss getting to her, thinking over and over the same thoughts.

 

‘This will stop me from destroying everything and causing the apocalypse.’

 

‘I won’t be a drain to my siblings anymore.’

 

‘I deserve this.’

 

Vanya repeated the thoughts in her head like a mantra as she felt herself slip away and collapsed onto the floor of the bath, the blade slipping from her grasp onto the floor.

 

On the other side of the bathroom door, hearing the thud as Vanya fell, Allison threw herself at the bathroom door, smashing it open and running inside the bathroom. Seeing Vanya, lifeless in the tub with her blood surrounding her and washing into the drain, the water pouring onto her face, the blade lying on the floor, Allison screamed.

 

Luther raced towards where the scream was coming from, followed closely by Klaus and Ben, seeing Allison screaming, and Vanya on the floor of the bath, Luther acted on instinct, rushing to Vanya, grabbing his unresponsive sister and lifting her into the air, carrying her out of the room.

 

“Ben, get Mom and bring her to the infirmary. Klaus, bring Allison downstairs and get her something for the shock.” Luther called out, stepping up to be the leader he was always told by his father he was.

 

“What about Diego?” Klaus asked.

 

“He’ll be fine for now, now go take care of Allison, and Ben, hurry up and get Mom, get Pogo as well, hell, get Dad even if it’ll help. Whatever it takes to help Vanya, got it?”

 

“On it.” Ben nodded as he rushed off to go get help. He had to say, this more caring Luther he definitely preferred.

 

“Allison, let’s get you downstairs, get a nice cup of cocoa, look after Diego and wait.” Klaus said, tugging on Allison’s arm and half dragging the almost unresponsive girl with him, Allison just stared at the bath in horror and nodded weakly.

 

“What about Vanya?” She asked as Klaus led her through the house.

 

“Ben and Luther are with her and they’ll get Mom and maybe Pogo to help, Vanya will be fine, once she wakes up, we’ll talk with her.” Klaus promised.

 

Allison just mutely nodded as Klaus led her through the house. When Vanya awoke, if she awoke, Allison would do whatever it took to make Vanya feel better, make Vanya open up about whatever has been running through her mind. She knew it’d take a lifetime if needed, but she’d make sure Vanya was alright. She’d help put their family back together.

 

/

 

Diego walked down the street, a spring in his step as he went, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. He had a different set of memories to what Eudora and everyone else he encountered seemed to have. Was it something wrong with him? Or were they all the ones in the wrong? He could remember her dead on the floor of the motel, Cha-Cha having shot her minutes earlier, yet here she was, having left the police to focus on other paths whilst he stayed in the force, which of these were real?

 

“Diego.” Eudora asked, seeing him lost in thought once again. “What’s wrong with you today?”

 

“Nothing.” Diego insisted. “What do you mean?” He nervously laughed.

 

“I mean, you’re acting weird. Forgetting I’m not a cop. Wondering why you woke in my bed, like you’ve done every day for the past few years. What’s wrong with you, Diego, seriously. Do I need to call your father, ask him about it?”

 

“My father? Why would you ever need to speak to him? What could he tell you?” Diego challenged her.

 

“Your father, the man who raised you and your siblings as superheroes? Who studied you day and night throughout your entire childhood? I’m sure he’d know if there’s anything to do with memory issues, and he could help me to help you, I just want you to go back to normal, D iego.” Patch said to him with tears in her eyes. “You’ve been weird all day and I want it to stop, for the regular, fun-loving Diego I know to come back to me.”

 

“Hey, hey.” Diego soothed her as he wrapped his arms around her. “I’m here, don’t worry about it. Just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, that’s all. It’ll be alright.” Diego told her. “Don’t worry about it.”

 

Diego knew whatever was happening was wrong. Just wrong. He had to find a way out of this awful nightmare, however he could. The Patch he knew and loved would never have left the police and would certainly never want him to reconnect with his dear old dad, whoever this was, she wasn’t the Patch he knew and loved, not at all.

 

/

 

“Hey man, just cool it ok, it wasn’t anything personal, we were hired to go to the shop and kill the old lady, we didn’t have anything against her.” The guy protested as Hazel advanced on him, gun pressed against the guy’s forehead, driving him back towards the wall.

 

“Hired? Elaborate.” Hazel told the man, inches from pulling the trigger. One word, just a name and he would be on his way. The man’s compatriots laid dead in the hall already, perhaps the man thought if he gave Hazel what he wanted, Hazel would spare his life. Hazel would definitely not spare him, he hadn’t spared Agnes, so why would Hazel spare him?

 

“They said they were with something called the Commission? I don’t know man, they had a weird sounding name, I think it started with a H?” The man begged as Ha\el paused.

 

“Handler?” Hazel asked as the man’s eyes lit up.

 

“Yeah that was it! Weird or what? Please man, I’m sorry, look, I’ll turn myself into the police if that’s what you want, please, just don’t kill me.” The man begged.

 

“Believe me, you’ll prefer this.” Hazel said, pulling the trigger and watching the man slump against the ground, brains and blood decorating the wall behind where he was standing.

 

Hazel now had his plan. Head to the Commission and deal with them, once and for all. For a mission like that though, he’d need backup. He couldn’t take on the Commission alone. He needed Five.

 

/

 

Five appeared back at the Academy and realised as he stepped through the door something was wrong. Diego was lying on the couch, unresponsive to any touch. Allison was sobbing into a cup of cocoa, unable to speak as Klaus soothed her and massaged her back, smiling all the time at her. He could hear Ben running around, calling out for Pogo upstairs, and he could hear Luther yelling “We need Pogo, Mom can’t help alone!”

 

Heading up the stairs, he rushed to where he could hear Luther’s voice and saw the infirmary, Vanya lying on the table, unconscious, blood on her arm and head.

 

“What happened?” Five demanded.

 

“She went into the bathroom, she hurt Diego as they were training and knocked him out, we thought she’d just gone for a shower, we’d talked to her beforehand, let her know it wasn’t her fault and nobody blamed her, but she did, she started cutting, we found her lying on the floor of the bath, blood around her and a razor blade on the floor.” Luther told him.

 

“Why didn’t any of you try to reach me?” Five asked, wanting to tear his hair out for letting any of this happen.

 

“How could we?” Luther asked. “I’m sorry but we can’t just rely on you, Five. I was made Number One for a reason, it’s time for me to step up. I need to help and lead.”

 

“I know more about time travel and all of this than any of you could hope to, you should ask me for my advice, Luther.” Five told him, crossing his arms.

 

“I think this is well past the remit of what you know, Five.” Luther challenged him. “Now unless you know a way to wake Vanya up and make sure she’s healed and happy, I suggest you either stay out of the way or get someone who will actually be of some use, ok?” Luther told him, with Five glaring at him.

 

“Fine, I’ll go see what I can do.” Five grumbled as he teleported away again, leaving Luther alone. Luther turned and headed back into the infirmary, to see Pogo had arrived with Ben and was with Grace, tending to Vanya’s wounds. After a few moments of stitching and some hushed talking between the two, Pogo turned to address Ben and Luther.

 

“Miss Vanya will be fine, if given rest. She should wake in a few hours, when she does, then I suggest, provided Master Diego has also awoken, that we all sit down, to discuss what has happened with you children, and how your mother and I, at the very least, can help.” Pogo told them in a tone that brooked no argument. Luther and Ben nodded and left the room to go and tell the others, leaving Vanya to recover.

 

/

 

“I don’t know what to do, Klaus.” Allison said as she cried into her third cup of cocoa. “Everytime I try to help Vanya, I make it worse. I somehow upset her or make her angry and she ends up hating us or herself even more.”

 

“Hey, I’m sure it’s not you at all.” Klaus tried to console her. “Believe me, I know how hard it can be to talk to someone and try to work through issues. Give her time, you’ll be her closest confidant within no time.” Klaus smiled.

 

“I don’t want to be just her confidant, or anything like that.” Allison told him. “I’m her sister, and it’s time I started fucking acting like it. I’ve done so much wrong by Vanya in my life, and now its time I tried to do things right by her.”

 

“We’ve all got the same mission here when it comes to that.” A new voice said, turning around they saw Five stood in the doorway. “We all fucked up, both in the original timeline and sometimes in this one, we’ve all hurt each other again and again and done so much shit that I’m surprised the apocalypse didn’t come sooner. At least this time, we know what mistakes we’ve made and we can sort them. We need to have a sit down, a proper discussion, as a family. Get all of our problems in the open and discuss them, together.”

 

“Yeah, Pogo thinks we need that as well.” Luther said, as he and Ben entered the room. “He says Vanya will be fine.” Luther said, holding up a hand to stall Allison, who opened her mouth. “She needs to rest at the moment, but she’ll be awake in a few hours. Then he wants a family meeting, all of us, to discuss all of what’s happened and where we go from here.”

 

“Where do we go from here though?” Ben asked as the rest looked between themselves. Where did they go from there indeed.

 

/

 

“Come on, Hargreeves!” Patch shouted as Diego chased after her. “Surely you can outpace me to the park?”

 

“You’re on, Patch.” Diego said, running towards her and catching upto her, tackling her to the ground and sending them both sprawling into the grass below. With a laugh, Patch looped her arms around Diego and pressed her lips against his, their tongues battling for dominance within his mouth. After a moment they broke apart, and Eudora looked behind Diego, eyes widening in fear.

 

“He’s got a gun!” She screamed and tried to push Diego aside, as he tried to turn to see who was behind him, Diego heard a gunshot go off and felt a slight sting in his chest. Looking down, he could see a dark red patch on his shirt and he felt himself getting weaker.

 

“Oh.” Is all Diego said before he collapsed to the floor, Patch shaking him roughly as he did.

 

“DIEGO!” she screamed and he opened his eyes.

 

He was on the sofa in the Academy again, he could see the others gathered around the table at the other end of the room, Vanya didn’t seem to be there however.

 

“Guys? What happened?” Diego asked, as the rest perked their heads up at his voice and rushed over to him.


	16. Forgiveness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically angst and plots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly most of the last three chapters, including this one, weren’t even in my plans for this story at all, I just ran with the ideas they’ve given me. I’m even starting to regret doing the dreamworld part. Let’s just say, it won’t feature again until the sequel, when we dive into some of the other characters, and we meet Patch in this time...

“Welcome back to the land of the living, brother.” Luther smiled at Diego as he shook his head.

 

“No, seriously, what’s going on?”

 

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Five asked him.

 

“I told Vanya to try hit me, I dodged a few of her blasts then I saw one a fraction too late and I think I hit a wall, after that, just waking up.” Diego lied. He didn’t, couldn’t, talk about Patch. Not right now. Whatever had happened in that dream state left him vulnerable and confused, and if he was vulnerable and confused, he wouldn’t be as effective as he needed to be.

 

“Great, just tell Vanya that when she’s back and it’ll be alright, hopefully.” Ben told him as Diego looked confused.

 

“When she’s back? Where’s Vanya?” He asked, leaping to his feet, then regretting it as the room began to spin. He felt a pair of hands gently guide him back to a sitting position, looking up he saw Luther stood there.

 

“You stood way too fast, Vanya hurt herself, she’s out cold at the minute, but she’ll be awake in a few hours and then we’re talking, all of us, together, we’re going to sort through all of this. We’re going to make sure all of the shit that has plagued us for years is dealt with and then we can move on, as a proper family, together.” Luther told him.

 

“I’m still not too sold on the idea that we can magically fix all of our problems, we’re not like dad, who seems to think if he ignores it, it’ll go away.” Klaus interjected. “Or have you noticed that since we attacked him in his office, we’ve barely seen him, even at meals? He’s avoiding us all, scared, probably, I know I would be in his position, having control over everything then it going in a blink of an eye?”

 

“Maybe we should talk to him.” Allison suggested, as Ben shot a look at her.

 

“Maybe we should also go ignore Vanya again as well and treat her like dirt, see if that fixes everything. No, dad had his chance the first time around. I say we keep him far away from us.”

 

“I’m actually going to side with Allison on this one.” Five said “Look, the old man said he was using us to save the world by starting the Academy. I know that he knows more than he’s letting on, even about us, here, now. I want answers, and the best way we’ll get them is by playing ball with him. Be open to him, get him to help us, and once we have what we need, cut him loose before he tries to get us all under his thumb again.” Five stated.

 

“I’m not the biggest fan of manipulating anyone, it’s time for the family secrets and drama to stop.” Luther said. “But you’re right, Five. We need dad, but we can’t trust him entirely. We get what we need from him and then he’s out in the cold again may be our best hope.”

 

“What about you two?” Five asked Diego and Klaus.

 

“Look, I don’t care for the old bastard, but as long as he leaves me well enough alone, let’s use him.” Klaus said.

 

“I’m with you guys on this, if he knows something, we find out what it is and use it, if he doesn’t, he’s back out again before long anyway.” Diego said.

 

“Well may as well make it unanimous.” Ben said with a rueful grin. “I have to admit, sticking it to dad does sound like fun, get what we need then kick him to the curb again. I’m in too.”

 

“So, who wants to go ask the old bastard to join in this family meeting?” Klaus said, as all eyes turned towards Five.

 

“What, why me?” Five protested.

 

“You suggested it, Five.” Luther said. “Besides, you seemed put out that I was stepping up and trying to be a leader, if you want the position, prove you deserve it. Go speak to dad.”

 

“He’ll only speak to you though, Luther.” Five seized on Reginald’s prior decisions to address Luther before all the others. “You’re Number One, his protege and favourite. If he’ll respond favourably to any of us, it’s you.”

 

“Alright, I’ll speak to him.” Luther said. “I just hope he’ll listen and come to this meeting.”

 

/

 

Vanya’s eyes opened, looking at the room around her, seeing herself hooked up to an IV drip on the bed. Seeing her arm bandaged, Vanya knew it hadn’t all been a dream. She really had tried to kill herself. Groaning as she sat herself up, she was suddenly surrounded by Pogo and Grace.

 

“Vanya, sweetie, lay back down, you need to rest.” Grace insisted, placing her hands on Vanya’s shoulders gently, Vanya flinching at the touch.

 

“No, I’m fine Mom, please.” Vanya insisted, Grace smiling at her.

 

“Miss Vanya.” Pogo said, fixing Vanya with a firm look, Vanya gulping at it. What she’d done to Pogo before came back to hit her memories hard, and with her actively trying to avoid Pogo since then, this was the first time they’d had a face to face sit down since the day she killed him.

 

“Yes, Pogo?” Vanya asks, feeling her emotions starting to build at the sight of him, she took a deep breath to try and keep herself in check. It didn’t seem like her emotions had gone out of whack when she hurt herself, she needed to make sure they didn’t now.

 

“I see you’re awake, that’s wonderful news.” Pogo said to her. “Now, Miss Vanya, there’s something we need to discuss.”

 

“What is it, Pogo?” Vanya asked, feeling small as he kept his eyes on her.

 

“Why, my dear child?” Pogo said, looking towards her amr and dipping his head, wiping his face to stop the tears falling.

 

Vanya watched him wiping away his tears and she felt her heart breaking as he did. Pogo did care for her, he truly did, it wasn’t just an act as she had feared when her powers had gotten out of control and warped her mind, too loyal to her father to truly see her as anything more than a dangerous threat. Vanya felt a part of her dying off, screaming in agony as it went, and she realised she didn’t hate Pogo, couldn’t hate him, any longer. She let go and let herself cry, and she felt Pogo wrap his arms around her and rock her gently, making shushing noises in her ears as he did.

 

“I’m here now, Miss Vanya. That’s it, just let it all out. I’m here for you, dear child.”

 

Vanya sobbed into his shoulder and put her own arms around him, tugging on the IV as she did, feeling her fingers run through his thick fur, she hooked her fingers into some of his fur and held him tight, letting all of her anger and rage fade through her tears. Breaking apart from him, she noticed both their eyes were red and his shoulder was covered in her snot.

 

“Sorry, Pogo.” Vanya said with a half sob, half cry as Pogo patted her gently.

 

“Think nothing of it, my child. I wanted to tell you we have a family meeting planned for later today, where we’re all going to talk about what has happened to all of you and work out where to go from there.” Pogo informed her. “Would you be willing to attend it?”

 

“Yes, Pogo.” Vanya told him after taking a moment to think it over. “I think it’s time all the lies and secrets and betrayals ended. We need to sit down as a family and work through it all. I’ll definitely be there.” Vanya promised him, as Pogo sagged in relief.

 

“I’m so pleased to hear that, Miss Vanya. I only wish to help you children, you know that, right? I’m sorry that informing youe father upset all of you so, I only did what I thought could help.”

 

“I know that, Pogo.” Vanya told him with a smile. “I forgive you, don’t worry.”

 

“Shall we go and get the rest of your siblings, all six of them have been worried sick about you my dear, all have asked when you’ll awaken and I believe they have threatened to hug you and never let go.” Pogo teased her as Vanya blushed.

 

“I’d like to see them.” Vanya told him shyly.

 

“I’ll tell them you’ve awoken then, they’ll be here in a few minutes I’m sure.” Pogo told her, nodding to her and heading out of the room, leaving Vanya to Grace’s tender mercies for a few moments.

 

/

 

There was a knock on the door as the siblings talked at the table, wondering when Vanya would awaken. Five jumped to the door and opened it, pausing when he saw who was on the other side.

 

“Hello, Five.” Hazel smiled at him with a strained look. “May I speak with you?”

 

“Hazel.” Five remarked. “How did you know to come here?”

 

“Cha-Cha. I knew she had to be here to target you and your siblings, I decided it’d be better for all of us if I came to you.”

 

“I’ve already seen Cha-Cha, was in a bad shape.Your work I presume?” Five asked him as Hazel nodded.

 

“I know she’s working for the Handler. She’s killed the woman I loved, and now I want revenge. I know the Commission still has plans to make sure the apocalyapse happens, I wanted to know if you and your siblings wanted in. I can’t take on the Commission alone, but together, I think we have a chance. I wasn’t kidding before when I said I respected the hell out of you, you’re the best they ever had, I’ll admit me and Cha-Cha were number two, but if number one and two teamed up to fight them, the Commission stand no chance.” Hazel said to Five.

 

“I can’t say I’m not intrigued, getting rid of the Temps Commission would really help with my plans to ensure the apocalypse never happens, but even with my siblings and I, what chance do we really have? I blew up the Commission HQ and yet the Handler came back, even telling me that the Commission was injured but nowhere near defeated. What would stop them from just reforming again?”

 

“Working together, we could burn it all. Destroy their records, kill the case managers if they won’t abandon their posts, ensure the briefcases are gone, destroy everything.” Hazel told him.

 

“I blew up the HQ and destroyed the briefcases already, they came back again.” Five said.

 

“I can’t promise anything, but if we work together, we’ve got a better shot.” Hazel insisted. “We have one shot to do this, if I know the Commission, they’ll already be planning to wipe all of us out. If we strike first, we have a shot.” Hazel said.

 

“You’re right there.” Five told him. “Alright, wait here, I’ll speak to my siblings, then what?”

 

“I’ve got a briefcase, we drop right into Commission HQ and tear it up.” Hazel told him.

 

“I’ll speak to them about it then.” Five told him, promising nothing and turning back inside to go speak to the others.

 

“Five.” Luther called him as he rejoined the others. “What was it?”

 

“An offer. A chance to deal with the Commission once and for all, keep them out of the way and hopefully ensure the apocalypse never happens, no matter what.”

 

“What would it involve?” Ben asked curious about this apparent deal.

 

“Teaming up with an old enemy to get revenge. Hazel.” Five said as Diego shot to his feet again.

 

“Oh hell no.” Diego said.

 

“Diego, he did help by giving us Cha-Cha’s gun last time. He’s done with all of his past life, he told me the Commission have just attacked him and now he’s after revenge. I think he’s telling the truth, he says he has a way into the Commission, should we just let this go?” Five argued. “This is possibly the ONLY chance we have to take them down for good, but I can’t do it alone, or even with two of three. It’d need all of us there, all of us ready to do whatever it takes to stop the end from happening again, are any of you with me?”

 

“For Patch, I’m in.” Diego said. “Even if it means working with Hazel.”

 

“Hold on a second.” Allison said. “What’s even happened? How can we trust Hazel? What about Vanya?”

 

“She’s right, bring Hazel in here, let’s talk to him and see what we need to do next before deciding anything.” Luther told Five, who sighed and left to go retrieve Hazel.

 

“What did I miss?” Vanya said, appearing from around the corner with Pogo at her side, arm bandaged, Pogo holding onto her for support.

 

“Vanya, you’re alright.” Allison cried, rushing over to embrace her.

 

“Yeah, thanks to all of you.” Vanya smiled. “Me and Pogo, well let’s just say I forgive him.”

 

“Even though I’m not entirely that what I have done, what I tried to do to you, will ever be something I deserve to be forgiven for, I am honoured you have forgiven me, Miss Vanya.” Pogo told her.

 

“So, what’s the plan?” Vanya asked.


	17. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siblings prepare for an earth shattering talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally listened to Blue Neon by Aidan and it’s incredible, if you haven’t heard it, search “AidanRGallagher” on Youtube, his official channel, and look it up, its good. 
> 
> As for the last chapter, yeah, I fucked up with Pogo crying. I was basing it off the show where a fair few times you see him looking on the verge of tears in his grief over Reggie’s death and the kids hating each other, but yeah chimps don’t have tear ducts so I’m sorry for that. For this fic, I’ll probably just keep that but won’t mention monkey tears again.

“So, what is the plan?” Vanya asked.

 

“Firstly, Hazel may as well be told to go sit in the kitchen, rather than just waiting outside.” Five said. “Then we all need to talk, get this all out of the way. I don’t know about you guys, but we’d work better if we can all trust each other entirely. Diego, go get Mom. Luther, go get...dad.” Five shuddered.

 

“Why him?” Vanya asked, looking between her siblings.

 

“Dad could be useful, we want to know what he knows, he implied far too much to not have known what was coming, somehow.” Five told her. “We want to know what he knows and how. If he tells us, we’ll let him in on this meeting, let him know everything.”

 

“Everything?” Vanya asked.

 

Five cast a look over at Pogo who nodded at him.

 

“Well if Pogo is on our side, I’ll tell you. No. Dad has done too much against us to ever be trusted, no matter what Pogo thinks, sorry Pogo. We’ll tell him the truth about everything if he tells us his secrets, but that’s it. He doesn’t get to input or try take control, once he knows, he’s out.”

 

“I must say, I’m disappointed that you children cannot even attempt to put your past with your father to bed. He does care for you, you know, despite how it can appear sometimes.” Pogo told them all. “Please, at least consider it, if nothing else. Consider letting him help you, your father is a good man and a genius and he could be of great help to your plans, whatever they may be.”

 

“We’ll consider it, Pogo.” Ben said, before Five or Vanya could open their mouths. “But don’t hold your breath, if dad comes in and demands to know all and not give anything up, it will never work.”

 

“That’s what I fear.” Pogo sighed as he turned to go sit on the sofa. “Please, do what you must, children.”

 

Luther excused himself and headed out of the room, and up the stairs as Klaus cleared his throat.

 

“I have to say, this was riveting.” Klaus giggled as he walked towards where stools by the bar. “Now if you don’t mind, if we need to air out all of our issues, especially with dear dad here, I need a drink. Anyone else with me?”

 

“Master Klaus!” Pogo cried.

 

“Me.” Diego said, walking over to the bar as well as he rejoined the room, Grace smiling behind as she joined them in the room and took a seat.

 

“Make it a double for me.” Vanya said as she went to join them.

 

“Master Diego! Miss Vanya! What are you doing?” Pogo demanded as the three of them grabbed glasses and bottles. “Put those away at once! I don’t care how old you are in your minds, your bodies are thirteen and you will treat them as such. No alcohol at all!” Pogo told them, standing from the sofa and walking towards them.

 

“No offense, Pogo, but I really don’t care right now. I need this if I’m to deal with dad.” Klaus said as the other two nodded.

 

“Dad’s a prick, we’ll hear him out but I don’t plan to deal with him as we are.” Vanya said. “I can’t trust that I won’t lose control around him, at least the alcohol will numb it, because I refuse to touch those pills again.”

 

“My God. We really did terrible things to you children, didn’t we?” Pogo asked, shaking his head and backing away back towards the sofa. “My dears, I failed all of you, how can you stand to even speak with me, let alone allow me into a meeting of family?” Pogo asked, realising truly how messed up the children were from their childhood.

 

“Pogo...” Ben said, feeling awkward. He didn’t want to devastate the old chimp like that, the man had been more of a proper father than their actual father had ever been after all.

 

“I’m sorry, Pogo.” Vanya said, looking at just how old he looked in that moment.

 

“Yeah, me too.” Klaus said with a regretful look, Diego nodding his sentiments. The three of them went to put the tumblers down, before Pogo stopped them with a raised hand. Walking towards them, he passed them and walked over to the liqour cabinet himself, grabbing a bottle and pouring a glass, before filling the three tumblers the children had grabbed. As they looked on in shock, Pogo raised his glass to his lips.

 

“To new beginnings.” Pogo said as he downed his drink in one, watching as the kids also raised theirs and hestitantly sipped on it, Vanya putting hers down almost instantly, Diego and Klaus draining theirs after a few moments. Pogo frowned at the taste of it. “Not something I think I’ll try again, if I can be honest, children.” Pogo said.

 

“It’s not something for everyone, definitely an exquisite taste.” Klaus drawled as he grabbed Vanya’s drink and downed that as well, frowning when he looked towards the door. Where he saw Reginald and Luther stood, Luther looking resigned and Reginald looking furious.

 

/

 

“Enter.” Reginald said as he heard a knock at the door. Looking up, he noticed Luther stood before him, looking awkward.

 

“Yes, what is it Number One?” Reginald asked him, fixing him with a gaze. Since the children had mutinied, he had tried to avoid them, preferring that they do as they normally would. He was certain Grace and Pogo would ensure they trained, whilst he planned what to do next to regain control over them. He couldn’t lost his grasp on them, not now, after so many years moulding them, preparing them for their destiny.

“I...We’re having a family meeting. We want your help, father, and to tell you everything, everything about what’s been happening with us the past month or so, why we’ve suddenly changed, why we’re including Seven now as well.”

 

“Why wouldn’t you include Number Seven? She too needs to train her powers to be an effective part of this team.” Reginald asked him as Luther shook his head.

 

“The Rumour, I’d forgotten that. Come on, please father, we need to talk.”

 

“Very well number One, lead the way.” Reginald said, grabbing his book and pen as he followed Luther from his study. If it’d explain everything that had happened and allow Reginald to gain the upper hand again with his children, he’d seize on it.

 

Reaching the lounge where all the others were sat, Reginald and Luther walked in to see Pogo walking towards the sofa, shaking his head, Seven and Two stood by the bar, with Four holding a drink in his hand. Three and Six were sat at the side and Five was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Number Four, what are you doing?” Reginald asked, shocked at seeing Klaus drinking.

 

“I’m pysching myself up for you, daddy dearest.” Klaus joked with a small giggle as Luther frowned and Reginald reared back as if struck.

 

“I am your father, Number Four, and you’ll treat me as such!” Reginald demanded, as a new voice behind him piped up.

 

“Act like a father then.” Five spat as he walked into the room. “Got Hazel sorted, now, everyone. Sit.”

 

“What is the meaning of this, Number Five?” Reginald asked. “What do you want?”

 

“It’s time we all spoke. No more secrets. Everyone is going to discuss their issues, we’re going to work on helping each other with them and then when that’s all sorted, we’re going to make sure the apocalypse never happens, got it?” Five asked as his siblings nodded, Pogo, Grace and Reginald looking confused.


	18. Talks and Torments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siblings talk it out as Reggie and the Commission plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long guys, life got in the way. Got some news, the planned sequel won’t be out for around a month, want to finish my Post Infinity War Avengers fic before E ndgame comes out. In other news, I mentioned I wanted to go to Wales Comic Con? Well now it has Jordan (Grace), Emmy (Allison) and Justin (Ben) there, I plan to go. No solo photos like Tom (Luther) and Emmy had at MCM but oh well, they do have a group one so I’ll have met 3/7 siblings and Grace by May with luck. Sorry, just so excited about it.

“So, where do we begin?” Diego asked.

 

“First, Allison.” Luther spoke up. “Remove your rumour from Dad. I want his advice, he wouldn’t be like this at all without your rumour, take it off of him.”

 

“Why?” Allison asked. “He isn’t trying to do special training, he accepts Vanya has powers and he won’t stop us training with her. She’s come along over the past few weeks in leaps and bounds, you want to undo all of that?”

 

“No!” Luther protested. “God no, I’ve been happy with it all, but the advice we’re going to get out fo him isn’t dad’s advice. It’s the advice of someone who will just do whatever you ask. Please, Allison, just for the meeting. Afterwards, put it back on him, especially if you’re planning to kick him out of the meeting anyway.” Luther said to her, dropping his voice so Reginald wouldn’t hear.

 

“I’d need everyone else’s agreement before I do it.” Allison sighed. “It’ll effect us all, and dad being his usual self will make this conversation a million times harder, you know that Luther.”

 

“Yeah.” Luther nodded, his face looking sad. “But it’s our best bet. Please, Allison.”

 

“Guys, can I speak to you all, in private?” Allison addressed her siblings, looking at Grace, Pogo and Reginald as she said the last part. The others looked between each other and nodded, heading out of the room as Reginald looked scandalised.

 

“What is it, Allison?” Klaus asked.

 

“Luther wants to take the rumour off of dad, temporarily. The one that made him a slightly more bearable person by stopping the special training and accepting Vanya’s powers.”

 

“Are you insane?” Vanya asked as the rest nodded.

 

“Why? He’s slightly more bearable, like you said yourself, Allison.” Diego interjected.

 

“What use would taking it off of him serve?” Ben asked.

 

“Look, I’m just saying, we do it, then at least we know its his opinion we’re getting, and not a warped one from the fact he’s more accepting and less...himself with us.” Luther said. “I’m not saying remove it for good, and we’re planning to kick him out of any future plans after this anyway, aren’t we? What would be the harm of just for a few minutes, hearing what he suggests?”

 

“I’m certain this is a bad idea.” Five said. “But if you want to do this, I won’t complain. If he starts trying to drag any of us off to that room though, or demand special training, I’m teleporting him to a volcano, timeline be damned.”

 

“Won’t that just draw the Commission further onto us?” Luther asked.

 

“They already know where we are and have made clear they have plans to strike at us.” Five said. “Right now, anything that gives them a headache with timeline mishaps is good with me.”

 

“So, are we taking it off of him for now?” Allison asked.

 

“I vote yes.” Luther said.

 

“I vote No.” Vanya said.

 

“No.” Ben said.

 

“I think he needs a chance, so yes.” Allison said.

 

“I don’t know whether it’ll be any different, but let’s see it. Yes.” Five said.

 

“No.” Diego said.

 

“You know, I’m always up for a little chaos. Fuck dad, honestly, truly, let him rot in hell, but if it helps us deal with all of this and get away from his grip sooner, then I vote Yes.” Klaus said.

 

“Great, let’s go get it sorted then and get on with this.” Luther said.

 

“Wait a minute.” Five said. “I’m serious, he tries anything other than talking, he goes to grab one of us, anything, I take him and I doubt we’ll see him again.”

 

“Five!” Luther and Allison said in shock. Diego just nodded, if he had the ability too, he’d do the same. Ben and Klaus looked at each other before nodding. They’d support Five, even in this, if it helped them get away from the waking nightmare of Reginald Hargreeves.

 

Vanya looked shocked as well, but not out of disbelieving anger as Luther and Allison, shocked that Five would go so far for all of them.

 

“You would do that, for us?”

 

“Vanya, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my family.” Five gave her a tender smile. “I thought I’d proven that already with the whole coming back thing and then the whole saving us all from the apocalypse thing?”

 

Vanya headed over to where Five was standing and wrapped her arms around him, ignoring his protests and squirming, gesturing over to the others, Klaus grinned and dragged Ben over into the hug, Allison smiled and joined in, Luther moments behind her. Diego looked awkwardly for a moment before Klaus looked over at him and Diego headed over, all seven of them in one awkward group hug. They stood together for several minutes before eventually breaking apart with a cough behind them. Looking over they saw Pogo smiling at them.

 

“Shall we have the meeting then, children?” Pogo asked.

 

“Yeah, Pogo.” Vanya smiled at him. The group of them headed back into the room to see Reginald looking at them oddly.

 

“What was all of that about children?”

 

“ _I heard a rumour that you behaved towards us all like you did before you put Klaus in the Mausoleum.”_ Allison said to him, watching his eyes change. Reginald fixed them all with a hard, cold glare.

 

“You tried to control me? To make me a whipped dog? Enough is enough, children. You are children. Now, it is time to speak, tell us about what has been going on with you all, and let us put all of this nonsense behind us.” Reginald said. “Sit down, Pogo. The children will obey me, they need to learn their place.”

 

“Are you actually kidding me?” Luther thundered. “I’ve done nothing but defend you from the others, all of our lives. I’ve argued you care for us, you want what’s best for us, but you do this? You just dismiss us, demand subservient obedience and want to impose your will and your agenda on us? I’m sorry, but fuck no. It’s time you sat there and listened, _dad._ ” Luther spat.

 

“Number One you dare to take that tone with me?” Reginald asked, scandalised, as he rose to his feet.

 

“No, he’s right, dad, go fuck yourself.” Diego said, rising to meet him. “You’ve spent our entire lives pitting us against each other, making sure we do what you want, what you say, doing what you think is best. It’s time we were able to be ourselves, do what we think is right. If we want your advice, we’ll ask for it.”

 

“Master Diego-” Pogo started, before backing off after a glare from Vanya and falling silent once again.

 

“He’s right, Pogo.” Vanya said. “Dad has done nothing but abuse us, all of us. You want to know the truth? Fine. The world ended in 2019. You said you wanted us to stop the apocalypse, dad? It happened because of you. You caused it. We couldn’t stop it and we came back here to try stop it ever happening.”

 

“How did I cause it?” Reginald asked, voice hoarse. He knew it. He knew the same fate would befall this world as did his own. The Umbrella Academy were supposed to stop this from happening, how did they let it happen?

 

“With your emotional fucking abuse.” Klaus said. “Do you wonder why none of us want to speak with you? Even Number One over there can’t stand the sight of you, dearest dad. Why is that? Because you’re a MONSTER!” Klaus screamed at him, Reginald looking crushed by his words.

 

“I...I’ve been hard on you to unlock your potentials, all of you.” Reginald told them, voice quiet as he spoke. He hadn’t realised they despised him this much. Didn’t they see that what he’d done was to try and help them all? He may not have been anything like a traditional father, but he did love them, in his own way, and he was doing his best to ensure they were ready to face the apocalypse he knew was coming. How had he failed them so badly that they had failed? “But what I did, I did for your own good.”

 

“Our own good?” Ben snorted at this. “You know how much I hate my powers, yet you insist I use them as much as possible? They _terrify_ me. Me. Not just the bad guys you send us out to attack, but they scare me. Do you even care about that, dad?”

 

“Look, let’s start at the beginning.” Five said, shaking his head. How had this gotten out of control?

 

“I think that would be best, Master Five.” Pogo said, as Ben and Klaus glared at Reginald.

 

“The other week, when I walked away from the table in a huff, stating I was ready for time travel, that’s where our past and the present divert.” Five said. “I jumped, repeatedly, through time, proving that I could do it.”

 

“I need to study this, Number Five.” Reignald said. “The possibilities with this, they need to be discovered and studied extensively.”

 

“How about you shut up and let him finish?” Diego snarled.

 

“As I was saying.” Five started, with a grateful nod to Diego. “In that timeline, you were right. Time travel is like going into a frozen lake and emerging as an acorn. I went to the future, to the year 2019. To find a world on fire, everyone dead, the apocalypse had come and everything had gone.” Five said, shuddering slightly at the memories of that day. Of what he’d found in the rubble of the Academy.

 

Vanya walked over to Five and placed her hand on his shoulder, offering silent support and comfort. Five looked at her and gave her a small, fleeting smile of thanks, before turning back to look at his father. Pogo looked shocked, Grace smiled still, but Five knew if she could feel, she’d be floored. Reginald however, he looked no different. Unperturbed, he nodded at Five to continue.

 

“I spent forty years trapped in that hell, alone, save for a mannequin I projected myself onto.” Five stated. Reginald finally reacted, a look of disgust on his face.

 

“Surely, even you could have done better than that, Number Five. Surely your powers would have worked before long, had you actually listened to me or put any effort it.”

 

“You know what? Fuck it.” Allison said, standing up as well to glare at Reginald.

 

“Allison!” Luther said, shocked at her tone.

 

“No, sorry Luther but fuck him. This one, dad, this is for you and you only to hear.” Allison said, walking over to Reginald and whispering in his ear.

 

“ _I heard a rumour that you went to the soundproof room and waited inside it, refusing to leave for a whole year.”_

 

Reginald shook his head and began to walk from the room, ignoring the confused looks the others were giving him as he left.

 

“What did you do that for?” Luther asked her.

 

“Because he was never going to listen to us. He can go to hell. We do this, together, as a proper family. If we’re doing this talk, getting it all out in the open, I don’t care what you think, but dad can’t be there. He obviously can’t be trusted to help us.” Allison told him. “Seriously, why are you still trying to make excuses and defend him, Luther? He’s done his best to mess you up as much as the rest of us. He pitted us against one another for years, he forced you into exile on the moon for years, why does he deserve any respect from you?”

 

“What did you make him do?” Five asked, genuinely curious.

 

“I told him to go to the room he’d lock Vanya in, and stay there for an entire year, refusing to leave.” Allison said.

 

Five shook his head, Ben and Diego looked shocked, Luther looked furious, Klaus gave Allison a smile as Vanya averted her gaze, unsure where to look.

 

“I hate to agree with the idiot, but how is doing that any better than what he did to Vanya?” Diego asked. “It’s still torturing him, keeping him down there for a year, that’s worse than what he did to any of us if you ask me.”

 

“Is it?” Klaus asked. “The old fuck certainly seemed to relish making us all suffer. We’ve had decades of it. Would a year really hurt him?”

 

“I’ve got to side with Luther on this, sorry Klaus, but how can we believe we’re better than him if we do that?” Ben asked. “He’s a monster, but if we trap him down there for a year, we’re no better than he is.”

 

“He was a monster, and you’re all feeling sorry for him?” Klaus asked in shock. “Do you guys not remember how he’d torture us? He’d force you to throw knives for hours or mock you for your stutter, Diego? He’d lock me away in a tomb for days on end, he’d make you use your powers over and over despite you begging him, tears streaming, to stop, Ben?”

 

“He’s an ass and I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be locked in there for a time.” Diego said. “I just don’t think a year is right. Maybe a week or so.”

 

“You know what? I’m sick of this, all of it. Talking about dad. He’s a fucking prick and we’re better off just putting him out of our minds, at least for now.” Allison said. “Can’t we just leave it for now? We’ll talk later about whether to change it, but for now, just leave him out of it.”

 

“Honestly, I agree with everyone.” Vanya spoke up. “He’s a monster and he definitely deserves something to happen, but I know, better than anyone, what that room does to you. Put dad in there for a year and when he finally rouses himself and comes out, he’ll be far far worse than ever before, with all of us.”

 

“You’re right.” Allison admitted, deflating as she thought it over. “It was just in the moment, I’m sorry, guys. I’ll go change it.”

 

“We don’t have time for this.” Five said. “Look, we need to all get on the same page, and the best way to do that is for us to talk all of this out. So, let’s all talk. Deal with the issues we’ve all had with ourselves and each other, as quickly as possible would be nice, and then go stop the Commission and whatever their plan is. We have a way to get to them, we go in, destroy the place, scatter their organisation to the wind and then we hopefully get to live happy lives.” Five snorted.

 

‘As if that’d ever happen with this family and our history.’ Five thought to himself.

 

“Look, just go remove the rumour before dad gets down there, we’ll talk to him, get his advice like we originally planned, and then we go do this, get rid of those trying to control us and fuck dad off for good afterwards.” Diego said. “Personally, I’m more looking forward to getting rid of dad than anything else.”

 

“Why do we need his advice, really?” Klaus asked. “We tried that route, he went off and Allison dealt with him. We could just go for it ourselves. We know what to do by now.”

 

“I know what you’re saying Klaus. But Dad has plans for us. It’s why he adopted us all. He knew something was coming, and he obviously made plans for it. We need to factor in whatever he was planning and to do that, he needs to be involved. With what he knew beforehand, he even said he was preparing us to save the world, maybe he knows about the Commission? We should speak to him about what he knows and tell him the details he doesn’t know, with his help, maybe we can put a stop to this for good.” Luther told them.

 

“Fine. We’ll talk to the bastard, but don’t say I didn’t warn you that it’s a bad idea.” Ben said.

 

“Just imagine those cold dead eyes, widened in shock with some emotion in them for once when he learns all about how shit he makes the world.” Klaus says. “It may be worth it just for that.”

 

“Dad will never admit he’s wrong.” Vanya spoke up. “Get his advice, sure, but mentioning that he caused all of this, it’d be pointless, he’d never believe us.”

 

“Alright, I’ll go get dad and then we’ll all sit and talk. Hopefully without a tantrum every few minutes when one of us doesn’t like what the others are saying. We all have flaws, we all need to work on them, this team works fine as a team, but if we want to be more, if we want to better, if we want to be not just a team, but a family, we need to sit down and talk all of this out. Everything. Klaus’ drug history, Vanya’s powers, how we used our powers, how we treated each other, Vanya’s book, the apocalypse, all of it.” Allison said, as she headed towards the door to go and fetch Reginald.

 

“Sounds good.” Five muttered as he jumped out of the room, leaving the others to head back into their seats. Returning a few moments later with Allison and Reginald in tow, Five nodded for them to talk. Clearing his throat, Diego decided to speak.

 

“Well, so you know, Five was gone. Without him, we all started to splinter off, missions were more frequent, Vanya was pushed to the side even more without Five there, and eventually, it all came to a head when we had a mission where Luther pushed Ben too hard to use his powers.”

 

“They got out of control. I’ve begged you, pleaded with you, to let me not have to use them.” Ben addressed their father, looking directly at Reginald as he spoke. “But you always insisted I keep going, that I would master them, that I wouldn’t one day fear my powers. They got out of control and killed me. I died, at the tentacles’ mercy. I died pleading. That’s what happened to me, _dad_.” Ben spat.

 

“How would you possibly be here my dear boy?” Pogo interjected. “If you died, how could you remember these events like your siblings do?”

 

“I couldn’t just move on and leave my siblings to deal with all of their issues, could I?” Ben asked, a small smile on his face as his eyes filled with tears. “I was stuck with Klaus, unlike all the other spirits that haunt him, trying to make his every waking moment a nightmare, I stayed with Klaus for support, to be someone for him to talk too. I was with him whenever and wherever he needed me for over a decade. If Klaus wanted my advice, it was there. If he needed someone to talk sense to him, I was there. I couldn’t leave knowing my family still needed me. When we came back, I held onto Klaus, knowing it was a shot of returning as well, a chance to try make everything alright. It brought me back as well. I’m not sure how, but I don’t plan to waste a second chance at life, so, and I’m sorry if you don’t want to hear this, dad, but I decide when my powers are used from now on. I’ll certainly be using them a lot less than I did the first time around.”

 

“Number Six, your powers are needed for the missions!” Reginald protested as Vanya opened her mouth.

 

“With Five gone and Ben dead-” She started, ignoring Reginald’s startled look and attempts to interject and interrupt. “-The Academy fell apart pretty fast. A couple of years later, Allison left to pursue stardom, which she got, as she deserved it.”

 

“I don’t want that ever again.” Allison grumbled. “All it did was drive me away from my loved ones, I don’t want to be a star again.”

 

“You’d deserve it, Allison.” Vanya said softly as she smiled at her sister, Allison smiling back. 

 

‘Well, I’m not a bad actress.’ Allison thought to herself. ‘But I’m right here. I can’t be trusted with it. I drove everyone I loved away with my acting and my desire for fame and fortune. There’s more important things than that, like family and love. I’m done with the dreams of a silly little girl who wanted to be a famous star, free of those she saw as shackles.’

 

“Diego and Klaus left soon after, once I had enough money to branch out, I also left, leaving Luther alone to suffer being your precious Number One.” Vanya told their father, continuing her story when she saw Allison lost in thought.

 

“At least Number One stayed loyal and knew what was the right thing to do.” Reginald argued, looking to Luther for support, Luther just shook his head.

 

“I was an idiotic fool for sticking with you, dad.” Luther said. At these words, Reginald fell back into his chair as if Luther had attacked him.

 

“How ever did I make you children hate me so much?” Reginald wondered aloud to himself.

 

“We don’t have the time to go into just how much your training and choices screwed us all up, dad.” Five shot at him. “Go on, Luther.”

 

“I should have gotten out with everyone else. I was an idiot and decided that they were the ones in the wrong and I owed you my loyalty. It cost me everything in the end. Starting with when I read the book.”

 

“What book?” Reginald asked sharply.

 

“Mine.” Vanya said, voice breaking a little as she recalled what she had wrote and the damage it had done to her siblings and to their family. “I wrote a book about us all, our lives, our experiences, our traumas and what drove us all apart from each other. It was a hit. For once, I was the one in the limelight, celebrated and loved, but it also tore our family further apart.”

 

“Why would you want to be in the limelight and hurt your siblings, Number Seven? Ordinary people should stay where they belong, in the masses, cheering on their heroes, or in your case, your siblings.”

 

“Alright, I’m sorry but fuck this.” Diego said, pulling out a knife, ignoring the protests of the others when they saw him reach for it. “But I am done with this bullshit. Now, dad. You either fucking listen and give advice when asked for it, or you get out of this room right now and don’t come back, do you understand? Because otherwise you choose option 3, which involves me putting this knife somewhere I probably won’t regret putting it.” Diego told him with a glare.

 

“Diego, don’t!” The others yelled, Vanya the loudest of them all.

 

“Why not? He doesn’t get the right to talk to you like that, Van. He doesn’t have the right to talk to anyone like that. That sort of action is what caused things like Harold to spring up and plague us.”

 

“I know, but we’re better than him. Not like this, Diego. We’ll talk, let him see what he’s done and sort this out together.” Vanya told him as Reginald asked.

 

“Harold? Who is Harold?”

 

“Personally I liked the book.” Five spoke up. “It helped me, in the future. Like I told you before Vanya, I found it in a library that hadn’t been destroyed, knowing what had happened to you all after I left, it kept me grounded, told me what I was fighting for, I was fighting to come back, to rejoin my family and help them all and your book kept me focused on that goal. It helped guide me home.”

 

“Even if that was the only good thing to come from it, it was worth it if it helped you, Five. No matter how badly it hurt the rest of us, if it helped you come home, it was worth everything.” Vanya told him as the others nodded. No matter what the book had done to them personally, if it helped reunite them, if it helped them come to this moment, had helped to try and make them a proper family this time, it was worth it to them.

 

“Once the book came out, we all broke further apart. I sought more and more missions from you, dad, to prove my worth to you, to prove the Umbrella Academy wasn’t a collection of broken things like Vanya had suggested. I went for what should have been an easy job, it wasn’t, Pogo and yourself were lucky to save my life, you injected me with DNA similar to Pogo’s, to made me much larger and covered me in hair, giving me an ape like body. You then decided to stop me from being depressed about my new appearance and the fact people wouldn’t like the look of me, you sent me to the Moon, telling me it was important research. It was for nothing. I spent four years, isolated from the world up there, only to find when I returned that you hadn’t even looked at the research I sent you, you didn’t care what I was doing up there, and that, I can’t lie, it hurt me a bit. It made me worry you didn’t care for me at all, that you simply wanted your failure out of the way, out of sight and out of mind.” Luther told him, feeling sick as he finished. Did his father actually care about him at all, or would his father just believe that he should have been sent away and isolated?

 

“I’m sorry, Luther.” Vanya said sadly, Luther shaking his head at her. 

 

“It wasn’t your fault, Vanya. You weren’t to blame at all. You were just as mistreated as anyone else in this family, if not more, I can’t hold the book against you if you can’t hold what I did to you against me.”

 

Vanya gave a small laugh as he said that.

 

“I don’t hold it against you, Luther. I know you only did it as you were scared and wanted to protect everyone. If I was in your position, I might have done it myself. I can’t blame you, not anymore.” Vanya said, heading over to where Luther was looking worried and wrapping her arms around him, pulling him close. 

 

“I forgive you.” She whispered into his ear.

 

“We were all seperated.” Klaus said, deciding to pick up the story himself. “Allison was famous, Luther was on the moon, Diego was doing his own Umbrella Academy style thing on a night, I was on drugs, Five was in the future, Ben was dead ans Vanya was alone and by herself. We had to come back together, as you knew we did, dad. I want to know, how did you know we would be needed to save the world? What’s your secret, dear old dad?”

 

Reginald sighed. He’d never have told his children, but if what they were saying was true, maybe he needed to be open with them. Maybe they needed to know how he knew about them being needed, so he could influence them to do what he needed them to do. He’d tell them some of the truth, but if he kept enough of it vague, he could probably work it so the children were under his thumb once again. He’d have to change a few of his plans. They obviously knew Number Seven had powers, maybe he could offer them a carrot? Let her train with them, maybe even join them on missions, if they listened to him and fell back into line as dutiful soldiers once more?

 

“Very well. I know of the apocalypse because it’s happened before. I was once involved with this group called the Commission, who are -”

 

“-in charge of protecting the timeline.” Five finished, Reginald was startled by his interruption.

 

“I worked for them for a few years, they rescued me from the apocalypse after forty years of being alone with only my thoughts for company. They made me into a remorseless killer, one of their best. I was the foremost temporal assassin for them.”

 

“Yes, I’m aware of their work.” Reginald said. “Regardless, I knew I could not let the world end, and I knew that there were people with special abilities coming. So, I decided to come back, adopt these children with abilities and train them so that the apocalypse would be averted in the future.” Reginald told them.

 

“Why didn’t you write this down? We could have done more to stop it the first time around had we known.” Luther said.

 

“Because I was a fool.” Reginald said, shaking his head. “I didn’t think it through. I assumed there was a way I could direct things, ensure the apocalypse didn’t happen. I assume that failed?”

 

“You killed yourself to bring us all back together. It was the day of your funeral that Five returned to us, warning us about what was to come. We spent a week bumbling around, most of us not even knowing about the apocalypse as Five kept it close to the chest, then it came to the day itself, we tried, we made mistakes, and when we thought we’d sorted it, we messed up and the world ended. Five jumped us all here, back to this time, just before we were swept aside and killed as well, but that was it. The world ended.” Allison said.

 

“How did it happen, children?” Pogo asked in shock. He believed they were from the future when they told him the first time, but what could have possibly happened that the children couldn’t stop if they worked together.

 

“It was me, Pogo.” Vanya told him. “I was able to access my powers, there was a guy, he was manipulating me, he got rid of my pills, he found dad’s notes about my powers and wanted revenge on the Academy as dad had told him he was nothing and shouldn’t aim to be special when he wasn’t. He pushed me to use my powers, once I learnt what he did, I killed him in my anger and came back to the Academy, looking for forgiveness for something I’d done. Something I don’t deserve forgiveness for-”

 

“-You’ll always have my forgiveness, Vanya.” Allison told her gently, walking over to her and laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It was my fault, not yours. I don’t and won’t ever blame you for what happened. It was an accident, and we’ve moved on from it, at least I hope we have?”

 

“Yes.” Vanya beamed at her. “I’ll always be sorry for it though, even if it was an accident. I want to put it behind me, I really do.”

 

“Miss Vanya, I’m so sorry-” Pogo started to say before Vanya held up a hand to silence him.

 

“What’s done is done, Pogo. You and I both made mistakes in the other timeline, but this time, we can have a fresh start. I’d love one if you do?”

 

“I would be honoured to have the chance to regain your trust, Miss Vanya. Yours, and the trust of your siblings.” Pogo said, looking towards the other children who nodded at him.

 

“How did you end everything, Number Seven?” Reginald asked, voice hoarse. “I gave you your tablets to help you, to protect yourself and others.”

 

“I understand why you did it, dad.” Vanya told him. “I can’t ever forgive you as you continue to justify it, but I understand why you did. I was a danger, I was too young to control such powers and you were right to try and protect me and others. But I’m ready now. I’m old enough to be able to understand them and control them, keeping me on those pills just hinders the academy, it hurts me and it ensures the apocalypse is never truly safe from happening. Five said it always happens and I’m always the cause unless something changes, that something is I need to learn to control and harness my power. We’ve been working together to try and master it, but it’d go faster with your help.”

 

“I cannot in good conscience allow you to do this, Number Seven.” Reginald said finally. “Now come, take your pills. I will stop insisting you’re ordinary, but you cannot be allowed to endanger your siblings and others with a selfish pursuit of your dangerous powers. Enough now.”

 

“No, dad.” Five said. “This time, we do this our way. We work rogether. We train together. We keep no secrets from each other. All seven of us, or none of us. You choose, but choose now. We need to go.”

 

“Just where do you think you’re going to go, Number Five?” Reginald challenged him.

 

“To go stop the Commission once and for all. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go speak with an ex Commission assassin about going to kill our former employers together.” Five said with a fake cheerful smile as he left the room, leaving Reginald and Pogo gaping and his siblings snickering behind him.

 

/

 

“Hazel.” Five called as he entered the kitchen, seeing the man’s head on the table, looking up with bleary eyes, Hazel looked over to him.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

“We’re ready. The plan is to grab my siblings, get the briefcase, drop in by the briefcase room. Then we split. Some of my siblings will deal with the case managers, others with the briefcases, you and I will take on the Handler, probably with one of my siblings, we find out who pulls her strings, we end her and then we go after them, agreed?

 

“Sounds like a plan to me. One note though.” Hazel broached.

 

“What is it?” Five asked.

 

“I know Cha-Cha had something to do with the murder of Agnes, the woman I loved. I fought her and left her injured, saying she wasn’t worth it, but I was wrong.”

 

“I came in just after you left, she was ion a bad way. I left her too it, but I don’t know whether she got in contact with the Commission after. I’d assume she did.” Five told him.

 

“Then I have to say this. If she’s there, I’m sorry but I can’t let it go. Agnes died in my arms, and although she asked me to not go after the ones who did it, I need closure, and she deserves to be allowed to rest in peace. If we see Cha-Cha, she’s mine.” Hazel said.

 

Five kept quiet but internally shook his head. Hazel needed to let it go. He wanted to  get revenge, but if Agnes was the same Agnes Five suspected she was, she wouldn’t want that, at least from what he knew of her. 

 

“If she’s there, she’s all yours, Hazel.” Five told him. “I only want the Handler.”

 

/

 

“So, what do you think they’ll do next?”

 

“I’m certain Five and his siblings will try and strike at us, they know we’ll stop any major changes to the timeline, and we’ll do whatever it takes to stop them changing it at all. They’ll come to us, straight into our trap. Once we have them all in our custody, we’ll deal with them. Once they’re no longer a threat, the apocalypse will be right back on track again.” The Handler smiled. “Que sera, sera.” 


	19. The Commission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Academy vs the Commission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apocalypse day today! So here it goes, this is the beginning of the end. The Academy vs the Commission, who will prevail? What will happen?

“So, how are we going to play this, Five?” Diego asked as the siblings gathered together in the kitchen with Hazel.

 

“We need to hit them hard and fast. The Commission have shown they’re planning something to get the apocalypse back on track, the best way for us to disrupt it would be to take the fight to them, hit them before they can properly plan for us being here and make sure any chance of their organisation is gone. We need to destroy their briefcases, destroy their pnuematic tubes and get rid of as many case managers as possible. We need maximum disruption.” Five said.

 

“Wouldn’t they have already realised we’ve been changing things though?” Luther asked.

 

“Best case is they’ve just noticed small things, things that won’t affect the overall scheme of things. They’re very much big picture, whilst they don’t want any changes to the timeline, they will allow small ones if it benefits the larger goal for them.” Five explained. “But likely they know all about what we’ve been doing and will have plans on top of plans for us. I’ve got an idea on how to impact them if they have, it’lll be risky, but should pan out.”

 

“What sort of plan?” Hazel asked.

 

“The kind that could cause the apocalypse if we’re not careful.” Five stated bluntly. “I’ll be using a threat against them, if they don’t back off, I’ll use it, but they’re smart, I’m sure they’ll back down when they realise I’m serious, I’ll take them all down if it comes to it.”

 

“What sort of threat? We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with.” Allison told him.

 

“Me. I’m your play, aren’t I?” Vanya asked in a timid voice.

 

“Yes, I’m sorry, but yes.” Five said. “When we go in, Luther and Diego need to take out the briefcases, stop any of them escaping, then take out their communications with the tubes. Allison, Klaus and Ben should go take care of the case managers, stop them from escaping or informing others of whats going on, whilst Vanya, Hazel and I go deal with the Handler and find out who is pulling her strings, then deal with them.” Five said.

 

“What if she doesn’t co-operate?” Ben asked.

 

“Then we bring the place crashing down around them. If you think you can, Vanya? I won’t endanger you, if you don’t think you can handle it, I won’t let you near this.”

 

“I can, Five.” Vanya smiled at him. She had to prove herself, more for herself than for anyone else and to prove herself, she had to do this, she just knew it.

 

“Alright, let’s get ready to go. Expect SEVERE resistance.” Five said as the Academy and Hazel gathered around the briefcase, holding onto one another as Five flipped the case and they vanished in a flash of blue light.

 

/

 

The group landed in a large room with an empty desk at their side, looking around they could see long corridors in all directions, with the exception of behind them where they could see a large room filled with black boxes.

 

“The briefcase room.” Five said. “Get in there, destroy them all, and get out quickly, they explode when damaged, you don’t want to be caught in the blast radius. If you can hit them from afar, do so.”

 

“Sounds like a job for me.” Diego grinned.

 

“Be careful, Diego.” Five told him. “I’m surprised there wasn’t legions of them waiting for us. We need to be careful how we proceed.”

 

“I’ll be fine, Five. You guys just make sure these fuckers don’t reach these cases before I’m done with them. Luther, go get me as many things as you can I can use as projectiles. I’m going to have a lot of fun with this.” Diego said as Luther looked around the nearby desks for items. The rest of the group headed off towards where the case managers would be based.

 

The group headed down the hallways looking out for anyone waiting for them, hearing shouts behind them of “Luther!” and “What about this, Diego?”. Five shook his head.

 

“Idiots, they’ll alert everyone! Klaus, go back and tell the idiots to go shut up!” Five said, Klaus dropping back to go tell them. As the group headed to where the message room was, they finally came across their first person.

 

“Five?” Dot asked, eyes widening as she recognised who was before her. Looking past to see Hazel and a group of children she could only assume were Five’s siblings, she dropped the cyclinder she was holding, with it rolling to where Five was stood. Picking it up, Five popped it open and pulled out the paper inside.

 

“Five. Meet me in my office. Only you and Hazel, or your entire family dies. We have you surrounded. - The Handler”

 

Looking back up at Dot, Five saw her smirking at him.

 

“So, will you go then Five?” Dot asked him, as Five gritted his teeth.

 

“Guys, stay here. Watch Dot. If she tries to leave, stop her. Hazel, with me.” Five nodded as the rest looked confused.

 

“What do you mean, this isn’t the plan?” Allison said, grabbing Five’s arm.

 

“Just trust me, Allison. I’ve got a plan.” Five said as he and Hazel headed off, Dot smiling nervously at the children.

 

“Do you kids want a drink?” Dot asked with fake cheerfulness as the kids glared at her.

 

/

 

“So, Luther, what do you think we do after this place goes boom?” Diego asked.

 

“We get out of here, we head back home and we deal with whatever the future holds I’d guess.” Luther said.

 

“What I want to know is why none of the things in this desk are strong enough to destroy any of these briefcases. We can’t risk getting any closer to them to destroy them either.” Diego said.

 

“Maybe I can help with that?” Klaus said, walking up to the two of them, the two of them whirling around at the sound of his voice, fists raised, before relaxing when they saw it was Klaus.

 

“How could you help with destroying these things, Klaus?” Luther asked.

 

“Well I’ve also been working on my powers, getting more practise with them, making sure I could control what I was doing. I’m not perfect, haven’t even come as far as Vanya, but I think I can do enough to do what I did in the theatre again, the briefcases can’t kill what’s already dead.” Klaus smirked, the other two stepping aside as Klaus raised his arms and closed his eyes.

 

Diego and Luther looked around as nothing happened for a minute or two, as Diego went to open his mouth to tell Klaus to let it go, suddenly they felt a wind whipping up and saw several people appear around them, all heading towards the briefcases, determination in their eyes.

 

“Go get them.” Luther smiled as the spirits headed into the room and started grabbing briefcases, slamming them against the floor. One of them exploded and like a chain reaction, the others exploded all around, flames engulfing the room and causing the spirits to flicker and vanish. With a gasp, Klaus focused again and turned to his brothers with a smile.

 

“Not bad, huh?”

 

Diego and Luther spared each other a glance before looking at Klaus with matching smiles.

 

“Not bad at all, Klaus.” They both replied.

 

/

 

“So, Five, tell me, why did you come?” The Handler asked as Five and Hazel walked into her office, seeing her sitting in her chair, legs on the table and reclining.

 

“I came here to sort this out. Look, I know trying to threaten you won’t work, like you’ve said, you’ll just be replaced. So, how can we work this out so we’re both happy?”

 

“Well, I’m not sure how we could do that.” She gave a large toothy smile. “You see, you want the world to be saved and your family to be whole whilst the timeline demands you’re fractured and the apocalypse is caused by your sister. So, how are you going to ensure the timeline is saved whilst also protecting your family, hm?”

 

“I’ll work for you again.” Five said abruptly, Hazel looking at him in shock as The Handler appraised him. “You know I’m by far the best assassin the Commission has ever had. You protect my family, ensure they’re happy, and I’ll work for you again. You know it’s a good trade.”

 

“It’s definitely tempting.” She grinned. “But as I’m sure you must realise, I don’t call the shots with the Commission. Whilst I’d love to have you on board again, especially willingly this time, I cannot just sign off on it myself. As for our end of the deal, I’m sure we could guarantee the safety of your family, but as for stopping your sister from ever causing the apocalypse? What will be, will be. It is fated she will end the world, Five, neither you nor I could stop that. Isn’t it better to just accept that what will happen, will happen?”

 

“I suppose you’re right.” Hazel said, speaking up for the first time and drawing the Handler’s gaze onto him. “I’ve just got one thing to ask. Agnes Rofa. Why did you do it?”

 

“Who?” The Handler asked, confusion on her face.

 

“You had nothing to do with it? You didn’t order Cha-Cha to have her killed?”

 

“Why would I want some random person killed? We only kill to preserve the timeline. Wait a minute, I remember that name, she’s the donut woman isn’t she? Why would I care if you pulled one insignificant woman out of the timeline? As long as she doesn’t do anything of any import, we’d have let her go.”

 

“Then who killed her?!” Hazel roared, losing his patience. He knew Cha-Cha was behind it, and why would she do anything that the Commission hadn’t authorised?

 

“Why don’t we ask dear Cha-Cha?” The Handler smiled, pressing a button on her desk, the door behind them opened and Cha-Cha walked out into the room.

 

“Hello Hazel.” Cha-Cha smiled. “Did you miss me?”

 

/

 

“So, which one of you is Vanya?” Dot smiled at the kids as she tried to inch back towards where the case managers area was. If she could get into the rows upon rows of desks, she might be able to escape from the kids.

 

“I am.” Vanya said, her eyes never leaving the woman who paled at the look she was giving to Dot.

 

“I’m sorry about everything, you know, Leonard and all that? Truly, I was just suggesting what was best to make the end come. I know he was a bad egg, but I needed you with him for my job.” Dot told her, laughing nervously as she tried to get away, not noticing how angry Vanya’s eyes got at the mention of Leonard.

 

“You pushed Leonard towards me? You made him pursue me, manipulate me, drive me away from my family?” Vanya asked, feeling her anger growing with every word, Dot abandoned all pretences as she saw this and turned to run, stopping when she saw Allison and Ben getting ready to jump on her.

 

“Well now, I mean I didn’t do all of that, I just told our agents in the field what would be best to ensure the timeline kept on track, anything else was strictly out of my hands, we case managers, we keep our hands clean you know? We don’t involve ourselves with the nitty gritty details.”

 

“You still pushed him to me! You made him hurt me! You made me hurt my family! YOU DON’T GET TO DO THAT!” Vanya screamed as she felt a build up in her anger explode out of her, feeling herself rising into the air, she could hear the dire drumming of her own heartbeat, and she could hear Allison and Ben’s yells as she saw Dot rising into the air with her, clawing at her throat and pleading with her eyes.

 

“Vanya!” Allison called. “Calm down!”

 

“Vanya, please, she isn’t worth it.” Ben pleaded. Vanya closed her eyes and listened to their words, feeling herself calming slightly, she felt herself descending to the floor below, Dot falling to her knees and gasping for breath as Vanya opened her eyes again, looking at Allison and Ben’s worried faces.

 

“I’m sorry guys, I’m so so sorry.” Vanya babbled as she felt herself welling up and the other two rushed over to her, wrapping their arms around her as Dot scrambled to escape.

 

“We’re here for you, Van, and we always will be.” Ben smiled at her.

 

“As long as you need us, Vanya, we’ll be here to bring you back.” Allison told her. “We’ll be here to help you control it, just like we should have been in the first timeline.”

 

“Thank you.” Vanya sobbed into their arms.

 

“ALERT, EMERGENCY SITUATION, ALERT!” alarms blared around them, looking around they saw Dot had vanished.

 

“Well, that isn’t good.” Ben said awkwardly as the other two laughed.

 

/

 

“What’s that?” Diego asked as the alarms started to blare around him.

 

“It sounds like the plan’s gone badly.” Luther said.

 

“Well then, it’s time for a patented Umbrella Academy plan. Wing it until we win.” Klaus joked as the three of them rushed towards where they’d last left the others, hoping to run into them before any reinforcements from the Commission arrived.

 

/

 

“Ah, I see your siblings have triggered the alarms. A pity.” The Handler smiled at Five as armed men moved into the room, guns trained on Hazel and Five. “I guess this is where we part ways, dear Five. I’ll give you an option, however. If you want your siblings to survive, I’ll spare them. They’ll be taken back to their time, memories altered naturally, and the Apocalypse will be happening as it should be. However, if you want that, you’ll have to jump to 2020 again. In a few decades, maybe I’ll offer you a job again, who knows, we could even have something like this repeating, an endless punishment for you, Five. So, how does that feel?”

 

Five didn’t say a word, looking at Hazel and nodding to him sadly, Five jumped away, the Handler smiling as he left.

 

“Oh dear, I guess he chose the apocalypse route. Now, as for you Hazel, you’re not worth my time. I’ll leave you with Cha-Cha. After all, she told me she wanted you for herself, and as she’s been so loyal to the Commission for many years, she’ll be given this reward. Goodbye Hazel.” The Handler smiled as she left the room, the guards following her, leaving Cha-Cha to advance on Hazel.

 

“So, Hazel, what do you want to do about this?”

 

“I think it’s obvious, Cha-Cha. Only one of us is leaving this room alive.”

 

“A pity your whore didn’t survive, isn’t it?” Cha-Cha taunted as Hazel lumbered towards her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is the LAST. It’ll be out tomorrow on April 1st itself. Who will prevail? Where has Five gone? What comes next?


	20. The Commission II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Academy vs the Commission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the many reviews, comments, likes, kudos and favourites, both on FFN and AO3. This is it, the final chapter. Will they manage to stop the apocalypse from happening? Will they finally start to become a real family? Well since it’s April 1st, to quote many people on Reddit and Facebook and Twitter, I guess they managed to avert the apocalypse after all.

“Find the Hargreeves. Bring them to me.” The Handler said as the troops accompanying her fanned out. “It’s time to deal with this and get the timeline back on track. More than enough disruptions to it for one event, even one as big as the apocalypse.”

 

Dot came into view, panting slightly as she slowed at the sight of the soldiers passing by.

 

“Dot, what happened?” The Handler asked.

 

“It all went to plan, I set her off and started to make good my escape, but there was an incident.”

 

“What sort of incident?” The Handler asked.

 

“They managed to calm her down.” Dot gulped as the Handler looked furious.

 

“They won’t do it next time. Next time, we ensure they push her over the edge, they don’t bring her back. Vanya Hargreeves’ destiny is to cause the apocalypse, and I won’t let anyone stand in the way of destiny.”

 

/

 

Klaus, Diego and Luther rushed through the corridors to find the others stood there, waiting.

 

“What’s going on?” Luther asked as the alarms blared all around them.

 

“I’m gonna guess it’s something to do with the alarms blaring that there’s an emergency?” Klaus asked dryly.

 

“You don’t say?” Diego asked, growling as he looked around. He really wished he’d not left his knives behind at the Academy.

 

‘The one time I forget them ever, and it’s the time I needed them the most.’

 

“What do we do?” Allison asked as they heard shouting nearby and masked men appeared in the far end of the corridor.

 

“There they are!”

 

“Well we do what we do best. Fight.” Luther said as the others gave grim looks of determination and got ready to fight their way out.

 

/

 

“So, why’d you do it, Cha-Cha?” Hazel asked.

 

“Why’d I kill your whore? She ruined you, Hazel. She made you weak. Pathetic. You needed a push to become who you truly are again. You need to come back, look at this job we have, we get to go to lots of different times and places, meet interesting people and kill them. Why wouldn’t you want that, Hazel?”

 

“Because there’s more to life than just death.” Hazel told her. “Thank you, though, for admitting you killed Agnes. It’ll make this less difficult.” Hazel said as he looked over Cha-Cha’s shoulder and saw a pistol sat on the shelf.

 

Looking over to it herself, Cha-Cha’s gaze met Hazel’s and she smiled.

 

“To the death then? Good.” Cha-Cha said as she ran at Hazel, Hazel lumbering towards her, both screaming at the top of their lungs as they jumped at each other, fists swinging.

 

/

 

“Sir, what do we do about the children?” Pogo asked.

 

“What do you mean, Pogo?” Reginald asked him as Pogo cornered him after the family meeting.

 

“Why did you tell them that fabrication? Why not tell them the truth?”

 

“The truth is a fickle thing my old friend. For now, let’s see what the children have up their sleeves. If I know Number Five, and I know he’s the one pulling the strings, he’ll have only planned ahead to the end of the Commission. Once they’re out of the way, they’ll be disorganised, untethered. They’ve made it clear all they want is to be a proper family, and provided that doesn’t interfere with their training, I’m willing to allow them that. Before too long they’ll be back where they rightfully belong, working together under my tutelage.”

 

“So this was all just so you would have them back under your thumb?” Pogo asked.

 

“Not entirely, my friend. This is about saving the world. The Commission, as noble as their intentions may be, to preserve the timeline, will always be in opposition to saving the world. Now once they’re removed, the children will be able to achieve that aim, and in doing so, spare themselves the horrors that I once had to suffer.”

 

/

 

“Get on the ground, hands on your heads and we won’t hurt you!” The Commission goons said as they approached the Academy, seeing the six of them in a circle, back to back, ready to go.

 

“Now why would we do that?” Allison asked, smiling sweetly at them.

 

“You think we want to kill some kids? Just surrender and this won’t go badly for you. It’s only Five we want and he’s ran.” One of them said.

 

“Well.” Allison said, glancing over to Vanya. Vanya nodded to her.

 

‘It’ll be ok, I can handle it. Do it, Allison.’ Vanya thought, wishing her sister could hear her.

 

“What?” The guy said, advancing on Allison.

 

“ _I heard a rumour that you all shot each other and left us alone.”_ Allison told them, seeing several pairs of eyes cloud over, seeing the few closest to her turn around first, and open fire, the others reacting or being overcome themselves and returning fire. Within seconds, the group of troops were all on the floor, most dead, others severely injured, as the six Academy kids looked at each other.

 

“That was amazing, Allison.” Ben said, Klaus nodding.

 

“Remind me never to piss you off?” Diego joked as Luther nodded approvingly.

 

Allison turned to Vanya, worried she’d see her sister reacting poorly, flashbacks to the cabin once again tormenting her, but she gave a sigh of relief when she sqw Vanya beaming back at her.

 

“That was awesome, Allison. Thank you so much.” Vanya said, hugging Allison tightly, Allison returning the hug after a moment of shock.

 

“Why thank me?” Allison asked her.

 

“Five’s said the timeline needs me to cause the apocalypse, they wouldn’t have hurt me, they’d have tried kidnapping me from you guys, you stopped them, so I’m thanking you.” Vanya told her, refusing to let go as Allison patted her back soothingly.

 

“We’d do anything for you, V.” Allison tells her, Vanya smiling as she did.

 

“I know, I’d do anything for you guys as well.” Vanya told her.

 

“Let’s see about dealing with the rest of them.” Ben said, nodding towards where most of the troops had come from, where Five and Hazel had vanished.

 

“Alright.” Diego said, grabbing a gun from one of the men on the floor and rummaging from the pockets of some of the others, finding a knife and pocketing it. “Let’s do this.”

 

/

 

Five ran through the streets, rushing as fast as he could. Now he had the briefcase, he had to make sure he got away again before the Commission agents could find him. Once he got to where he needed to go, they’d not stand a chance. The only issue was, if his plan went awry, saving his family would be the least of his concerns. He’d need to time travel at the very least to save his ass if this went sideways, and he’d most likely be looking at causing the apocalypse only much worse.

 

/

 

“So, this isn’t working so well, is it?” Dot asked, seeing that the first wave of the troops they’d sent to bring in the children were down and the Academy were proceeding towards The Handler’s office, where Cha-Cha and Hazel were still locked in combat, both looking the worse for wear.

 

“Thank you for your input, Dot.” The Handler growled. This wasn’t the plan at all! The children were supposed to be overwhelmed and taken in, not be working well together and fighting back. Vanya wasn’t supposed to be trained enough to have reigned herself in earlier, the sibling bond was clearer stronger than it had been in the first timeline, and this was seriously beginning to annoy her. At least Five had fled.

 

“What’s the plan? How do we set them back onto the right path?” Dot asked.

 

“Let’s just make sure Cha-Cha gets past Hazel, because if she doesn’t, we’ll need to take drastic actions.” The Handler murmured, already considering what her next move could be. She couldn’t harm Vanya, but Vanya would never let her get rid of her siblings, permanently or otherwise. Maybe if she left herself, grabbed a briefcase and got out of there, she could try stop Five returning at all, but that could cause all kinds of paradoxical problems, oh the headache this was giving her.

 

/

 

“What’s your angle here?” Cha-Cha asked as Hazel swung another fist at her, dodging to the side and delivering a kick to his side, knocking him backwards. “Why don’t you come back to us? You’d be a valuable asset back at the Commission, you know you would be, Hazel.”

 

“I’ve got a question for you, Cha-Cha. Why?” Hazel said as he grabbed her foot when she swung in for another kick and pulled her towards him, smashing his head into her nose as she flew through the air, knocking her to the ground. Cha-Cha crawled away from him, blood pouring from her nose as she did. “Why did you kill her? She never did anything to you. She was innocent!”

 

“SHE TOOK YOU FROM ME!” Cha-Cha screamed as she spat some blood onto the floor. “You were the best, Hazel, and she took you from me!”

 

“How do you know all of that?” Hazel asked. “Cha-Cha died, you couldn’t remember all of that.”

 

“You think the Commission couldn’t do something about that?” Cha-Cha grinned at him. “I remember all of it, Hazel. Why won’t you come back? You could be a legend, Hazel and Cha-Cha, like the old days, we could be bigger than Five ever was in this organisation. Just you and I, killing people who deserve it again, what do you say?”

 

Hazel stopped in his tracks as he considered the offer. He couldn’t do anything for Agnes now, and working with Cha-Cha again, he’d be able to do whatever he wanted. Then he had a thought. A way to come out on top. Offering his hand, he watched as Cha-Cha took it.

 

“Come on.” Hazel told her, helping her to her feet. “Let’s get some help for these injuries then get back out there.” Hazel smiled at her. Cha-Cha gave him a smirk as she led the way, Hazel’s mind whirling behind her.

 

If he played his cards right, he could have it all. He just needed to be patient.

 

/

 

The Academy advanced further into the Commission, attacking any soldiers who came up after them, Diego dispatching them with knives and bullets, Allison rumouring them to attack one another, Luther grabbing and throwing any who came too close, Ben using his tentacles to rip them apart and Vanya using her powers to fling them en masse into walls or one another. Slowly, they made their way past rooms and corridors to find a woman standing in the corridor waiting for them, a small black hat perched on her head and a cigarette in her hand.

 

“Who are you?” Allison asked as she looked unfazed at the sight of them.

 

“Well, hello children. I have to say, you’ve certainly surprised us with your tenacity. My name is the Handler, I guess in your line of work, if we were a criminal organisation, you’d call me the boss. Now, shall we talk?”

 

“What do you want?” Vanya asked, moving to get in front of the others. Five had spoken of what a psycho this woman was before, if this woman was who she claimed to be. Vanya would do whatever it took to protect the others from her if Five was even half truthful with his stories.

 

“What do we all want? Survival. A reason to exist. My raison d’etre is to ensure the timeline is preserved, that what will happen, will happen. As I like to say, que sera, sera. Now, to do this, there’s a tiny problem you children could help me with.”

 

“Oh really?” Luther asked, dripping with sarcasm. “And what could that be?”

 

“Oh you already know, you clever kids. The apocalypse. It needs to happen and dear Vanya here needs to be the cause. Now, why don’t you kids agree to come with me peacefully, we’ll sort this all out and the timeline can be put right again as quickly as possible, how does that sound?” The Handler smiled at them all.

 

Before any of them could answer, there was a flash of light and Five appeared behind them all, glaring at the Handler.

 

“I thought over your offer. I’m happy to give you my refusal.” Five told her as she glared at him.

 

“You could have saved yourself a lot of pain, Five.” She snarled.

 

“I’ve got an offer for you, though.” Five said, as he offered the briefcase he was holding to his siblings. “Take it, just open it and it’ll take you back home, back to 2003. I’ll be with you as soon as possible.”

 

“How, Five?” Diego asked. “We destroyed the briefcases.”

 

“Did you forget my power? Now go, it’s about to get very dangerous to be here.”

  
“What have you done?” The Handler asked, a bad feeling sinking into the pit of her stomach.

 

“I made my own deal.” Five smirked. “Guys, seriously, go. I won’t endanger all of you.”

 

“And we won’t leave you, Five.” Allison said.

 

“What she said, we’re a team.” Ben said.

 

“More than that really.” Luther smiled.

 

“We’re all in this together.” Diego told him.

 

“As a family.” Vanya smiled.

 

“As touching as this all is, WHAT. DEAL.” The Handler demanded as another flash of blue light lit up behind her, turning around, she saw a middle aged man holding a rifle, the barrel aimed right at her.

 

“Now, isn’t this a turn up?” Five asked her.

 

“I couldn’t agree more.” Older Five said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I say final chapter? Oops.


	21. What Comes Next

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What comes next?

“What have you done, Five?” The Handler asked as she looked between the two of them, the older one aiming a gun at her face whilst the one she thought she had driven off stood with his siblings, staring her down.

 

“I decided to make my own deal. Meet Five, he was very grateful to be allowed a chance to get out of the hell that is working for you.” Five told her, watching her pale.

 

“Five, that guy is you?” Luther asked, looking at the man with the wild eyes and stern gaze, holding the gun.

 

“Yeah, he’s me from before I went back to find you guys. Thing about time travel, is it’s very tricky to manage just right but if you do what I did, and went back, it can be very useful.”

 

“You know exactly what this means.” The Handler said to him. Five glanced around before his reply.

 

“Oh yeah, I figure we’ve got, what, thirty minutes?”

 

“Yeah, I’d say around that.” The older Five replied.

 

“Get him out of here!” The Handler cried as Five shook his head.

 

“No, we’re going to make a deal. Here and now. You and us. A deal that I think you’ll find more than reasonable.”

 

“What. Do. You. Want.” She spat at him, eyes venomous with rage.

 

“Simple. You stop, No going after me or my siblings. No influencing us. If the apocalypse does somehow still come around, you get us all out of there before it happens. Agree to this and we’ll go.”

 

“You know I can’t just make decisions like that, that’d ruin the timeline!” The Handler protested.

 

“Well you know how it is. Twenty-nine minutes and the timeline is the least of your worries.” Five said.

 

“What do you mean?” Diego asked, but Five ignored him.

 

“Tick tock.” Five smiled as the Handler cursed.

 

“Fine, let me make a call.”

 

/

 

“You want to tell us what the hell all that was about?” Ben cornered Five, flanked by the others, whilst Older Five and the Handler vanished into a room to talk.

 

“I made a risky move. I told you, my plan may involve causing the apocalypse after all.”

 

“I thought you meant me?” Vanya asked, confused.

 

“You were never my play, V.” Five told her gently. “I wouldn’t risk you or the safety of any of the others on that. You should decide when and where you use your powers, not because I asked.”

 

Vanya said nothing, rushing over to hug her brother, who patted her awkwardly.

 

“So, I jumped. I took the briefcase we already had and jumped to 1963, where I knew there was an older version of me, just before I came back the first time. I got his help and brought us both here.”

 

“So, there’s two of you here? That older guy is you?” Klaus asked.

 

“Yeah, and that’s my play. More than one of you in any place can cause a paradox. Paradoxes can end all of existence if they’re not dealt with quickly. We’ve got about fifteen minutes until the entire universe collapses, if we don’t get either him or me out of the this place and time.”

 

“Are you insane?” Luther asked. “How idiotic was that?”

 

“I know what I’m doing, Luther.” Five growled. “I know how these people think, I just said the safety of you guys was my primary concern, why would I risk that if I didn’t know I’d win? I spent forty five years struggling daily to get back to you guys, to be with my family, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we all get out of here happy and most importantly, alive.”

 

“I’m sorry, Five.” Luther mumbled. “I wasn’t thinking.”

 

“What’s new there?” Diego joked, the others smiling.

 

“So, I’ve made a decision.” The Handler said, walking back out with older Five still covering her.

 

“That decision would be?” Allison asked.

 

“You’re free to go. The Commission will no longer try and influence you nor harm you. Just go.”

 

“I’ll take him back to where he belongs once my siblings are safely home.” Five told her as she glared at him.

 

“Just leave. Never return.” The Handler spat as she walked off.

 

‘How can I salvage this? Five has to be bluffing, he wouldn’t risk everything, but how do I expose it as a bluff and get the upper hand?’ The Handler asked herself as Dot appeared.

 

“What’s happening?” Dot asked frantically, eyes widening as she saw older Five stood near younger Five. “How is he here? How is there two of them here at once?”

 

“Well it seems your ideas are as useless as you, Dot.” The Handler growled, pulling her luger from her pocket. Her office had been trashed when she went back inside, but Hazel and Cha-Cha were nowhere to be seen. What had happened to them? Her luger was still sitting on her cabinet and she picked it up, determined that if she was to go down, she’d go down fighting.

 

“Your services are no longer required, enjoy your retirement.” The Handler told Dot, aiming the gun between her eyes and pulling the trigger before Dot could react, watching the woman fall to the floor, as the Academy and older Five looked around to see her walking over Dot and away.

 

/

 

“So, what do we do now? We won.” Vanya said.

 

“It’s not that simple. We can’t trust them, plain and simple.” Five said.

 

“We need to make sure they never come after you again.” Older Five told them.

 

“How do we do that?” Allison asked.

 

“We need to make sure the Commission burns, all of it.” Five said.

 

“We destroy it, good, but then what? You escaped last time after doing it and they rebuilt.” Klaus asked.

 

“Allison.” Ben realised. “You could do it.”

 

“How?” Allison asked.

 

“Ben, you’re a genius.” Five said. “Allison, rumour the Handler, get her to stay right here, get her to order everyone in the building to here even, we blow the place, make sure they stay in the fires, and we get out.”

 

“Five, you’re not seriously advocating mass murder, are you?” Luther asked, scandalised.

 

“If it’s the only way to keep our family safe, yes.” Five said bluntly. “Allison, will you do it?”

 

“If its the only way to ensure our family is safe, yes.” Allison said, looking away from Luther’s judging scowl.

 

“Then we best be quick.” Older Five said. “Handler!” He called, the woman turning to him.

 

“GET OUT!” She screamed, Allison walking towards her.

 

“Don’t you want to know a secret?”

 

“What?” The woman asked, confused.

 

“ _I heard a rumour.”_ Allison started, getting closer to her. “ _That you called everyone in the building to here and ordered them to wait here for the next half an hour.”_

 

The Handler’s eyes misted over and she walked into her office, announcing to everyone to come to her office, that the situation was over. Walking back outside, the Handler stood and waited as confused Commission employees, largely case managers, walked in, most of them appearing from hiding places.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Why are they here?”

 

“Is it over?”

 

“Handler? What’s wrong?”

 

“ _I heard a rumour you all waited here quietly and didn’t try to leave no matter what for the next half an hour.”_ Allison announced at large to them, seeing them all stand still and shut up.

 

“We’ve got about two minutes.” Older Five told Five, as he nodded to his counterpart.

 

“Right, everyone, grab the briefcase. It’ll take us out of here.”

 

“What about older you?” Vanya asked.

 

Sighing, the older Five headed over to where the kids were standing and knelt down, so that he was closer to their height.

 

“It’s been a pleasure seeing all of you, knowing that my plan works, in a way at least. Even if I don’t know it, seeing you all will keep me going. Even if its only a few hours until I see you all again.”

 

“What do you mean, you won’t remember?” Ben asked.

 

“We need to preserve the timeline. Allison, you need to Rumour me to forget all of this, meeting younger me, coming here, all of it.” Older Five told her.

 

“I’ll do it.” Allison said, shaking her head. “I just don’t want to do anything that’ll hurt you, Five.”

 

“It won’t. Rumour me, then younger me will get you all out of here, I’ll use my own briefcase once I’ve finished up here.”

 

“Finished up?” Vanya asked.

 

“Someone has to set this place to blow. Once Five is gone, the paradox will be alright again, different places, different times. I’ll be able to set this place to go and then head back to 1963, you need to Rumour me so that I’ll forget all of this the minute I reach 1963.”

 

“One minute!” Five called out, looking a little panicked now as Vanya rushed over to hug older Five.

 

“Goodbye Five.” She told him. “We all love you.”

 

“I love you too, Seven.” Older Five smiled at her as he looked over at Allison.

 

“ _I heard a rumour that you forgot all of this once you went back to 1963.”_ Allison told him.

 

“I’ll see you all real soon.” Older Five winked as he walked past the standing Commission members, whistling as he pulled out a grenade from his pocket.

 

“Vietnam war. Does the job.” He smiled as Five opened their briefcase, taking him and his siblings away.

 

/

 

“Did it work?” Diego asked as they all landed.

 

“I have no idea. Probably.” Five said.

 

“Probably?”

 

“Do you want to risk us ending everything by going back for a quick check?” Five asked.

 

“So, what do we do now?” Luther asked.

 

“We become a family. We’ve come a long way since we got back here but there’s still lots to do. Without the Commission, who knows what will happen, what new threats will be out there for us.” Five said. “Personally, I’ll be glad, not knowing what the future will bring, or at least knowing it shouldn’t bring the apocalypse.”

 

“Well, whatever it brings, we’ll face it, as a family.” Vanya told him.

 

Smiling, Five gestured for the others to come over and hug him, after a moments hesitation, they all headed over, wrapping their arms around each other in one messy group hug.

 

“So, we did it.” Five told them, smiling into Vanya’s shoulder as he felt Diego patting his back. “It’s over.”

 

/

 

“So, what do I do now?” Harold asked himself as he looked around. He’d spent weeks preparing the cabin for himself and now he was ready to start getting his revenge on the Academy for abandoning him. His first need was to get into the Academy itself, find out their secrets and expose them. Once he had an idea of where their achilles heel was, he’d strike at it. Once he had them on the back foot, he’d destroy them. 

 

They’d rue the day they didn’t think Harold Jenkins was anything but extraordinary.


	22. Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> READ

As I'm sure you've all heard, season 2 is official! Now that it is, I've decided to reveal my plans for the sequel. I had planned to wait a month and do Avengers. However , my Avengers story is so far from what Endgame will be now, I feel there's no rush. So my next story WILL be the SEQUEL to What Comes Next .Title ideas are welcome. Oh and the release date Unlike Netflix I'll give you one. The release date is...TOMORROW!


	23. Sequel

I'll be deleting this note and the previous note in the next day or two, just to let you know if you weren't aware the sequel to this story is already out. It's called "Ordinary". Go check it out if you liked this fic or even if you didn't, I do love hearing what you guys think of these.


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